Where the lost things are
by vlefayne
Summary: Kurt Hummel sworn he would stop hunting – never again would he go back; that is until one dark winter night, a stranger appears at his doorstep and flips Kurt's entire life upside down.
1. Stranger, stranger

Hazel brown eyes blinked once.

The pools of rich brown were dazed and weary as he ran a hand down his thick rusty chocolate-colored hair, observing his dull expression stare back at him through the vanity mirror. He let out a sharp exhale and turned to the left of his dim-light round room, gazing out to the window where the evening sun was beginning to set.

It was time to set out.

His eyes wandered over to his messy room – thick books were strewn on the floor, crumpled papers scattered across all the way to his bed. In the middle of the room, pinned on a wall right beside his unkempt cupboard was a huge map of the town torn and circled in places with a bright red ink. He ran a hand down his disheveled hair once more before standing up; his wooden chair making a weary creak as he pushed it away.

He checked his pockets. Bicycle keys? _Check._ His cheque book? _Check._ His photograph? _Wait, not checked._ Stumbling across his cluttered room, he flung the pieces of crumpled paper off his bed, clearing the entire mattress – no sign of that photograph. _Crap._ He sneaked a glance at the window – it was getting darker and he cursed under his breath; there was no time. He had to leave, photograph or not.

Shaking his head, he headed for the door and sighed once more_. Time was of essence_; he took a deep breath in and left his small studio apartment.

_It all happened too soon._

_The winter cold snaked up his pale skin and he shivered in the snow, his hands clutching onto the gun tightly. His eyes darted nervously, watching cautiously for any sudden movements. The night was too bitter, too sinister. Alone, he was vulnerable._

_The forest loomed ahead ominously and he took a small step forward. Nothing stirred in the dark woodland, the trees seemingly watching him and the unknown waiting. He stood still, heart racing in his chest, terrified to his wits end. Trees dressed in black towered over him, swaying ever so slightly in the light breeze as he started his trek into the woods._

_It was silent. He stepped watchfully into the barrage of trees and darkness, feeling his throat go tight and dry in dread._ _Snow dripped from the sickly dark tree's like decayed flesh. Deep shadows seemed to ooze, move and threaten of their own volition. Half ready to turn tail and leave, he ventured in deeper and deeper into the wooded area._

_Every branch held the promise of something dark, gray and slavering for blood. The wind in the boughs sounded thin, sickly and fearful. As he stopped his tracks to take out his flashlight, a swift movement caught his eye. His stomach turned to ice and he froze; eyes wide, his breathing ragged and heavy._

_He stood still for a few seconds. A minute. Probably another. He relaxed a little, guessing it was nothing but a terrified wild deer. Scrambling with a gun on his right and torchlight on the other, he flicked it on and shone it directly in front of him._

_His heart stopped._

_Fear rose like bile in his throat and he choked back a scream of dismay. It wasn't a deer after all._

_The monster loomed in front of him, just a few centimetres away. He could hear it breathing ever so slightly, and willed his trembling legs to still. Red glowing owl-looking eyes met his own and it slowly bared its sharp yellowed teeth into what looked like an evil smirk. _

_The creature let out a growl._

_He turned and ran._

He cycled with all his might, pedalling on his old bicycle, the road too rough and bumpy as he raced against time. The sky was darkening, the full moon emerging out of the grey clouds, he noted anxiously as he turned into an alleyway, almost knocking onto a black cat that hissed fervently at him. Not turning to see if the creature was fine, he cycled past with a quiet apology.

A light raindrop fell upon his arm and he cursed to himself angrily, he should have gotten out earlier, what was he thinking? He turned into another alleyway – he memorized this place like the back of his hand, he had been frequenting the Warblers far too much lately; a place he would never step foot on years ago. He turned right from the long gloomy alleyway and halted right outside the brightly lit bar.

He glanced at the entrance wearily, panting slightly from cycling so promptly. The words 'Warblers' was floating loosely above the door's entrance and he shivered slightly at the sudden cold breeze. He was running out of time. Quickly tossing his bicycle onto the ground, he entered the bar – an abrupt blast of folk music and bright lights threw him aback slightly as his adjusted to his new surroundings.

Fancy wood furniture, detailed carpentry tables with leather seats, a small dance floor and a large jukebox that stood happily at the corner of the bar, a happy folk tune humming though it. Men dancing and chugging down beers _– if only he could be as carefree as the folks here were_. Shaking his head, he hastily walked over to the bar table, covering his jacket hood over his messy hair.

Brown eyes met jet black the moment he approached the bar table.

"Care for a drink?" Came the purr. The ivory eyes twinkled in mischievousness and winked playfully at him. He wasn't fazed, he knew this bartender all too well.

"Not today, Santana." He rasped out quietly, narrowing his eyes at the slim sleek figure in front of him, coyly cleaning an empty jug of beer. "You know what I'm here for."

The woman smiled cheekily and shook her head teasingly. "I have no clue what you are talking about." She turned away from him, continuing drying her jug.

He gritted his teeth forcefully. "Santana, I am running out of time."

Santana turned back to him, fluttering her long eyelashes brazenly and smirked. "Always in a hurry, aren't we, Mr. Anderson?" Rolling her eyes, she fished out a name card from her pocket. The hazel eyed man reached out for it in vain but Santana pulled it back swiftly, glaring at the man with a raised eyebrow.

"A word of caution," She whispered; her voice serious and her eyes glowing a little, "The last I heard, they stopped hunting."

He nodded slightly and reached out a hand for the name card. Santana huffed boredly and dropped the card onto his palm. "You owe me one, Anderson." She purred, back to her normal tone.

"We owe you one." He replied curtly and dipped his head before getting out of his seat and leaving the happy atmospheric bar. Halfway out from the bar he heard his name being called. He froze in fear, a sudden chill up his spine and he inhaled a sharp intake of breath.

"Anderson!" He relaxed. It was just Santana. He turned back and glanced at her questioningly.

"When you meet him, tell him I said hi." She called out to him, laughing.

With a brisk nod, he left the bar. Outside it was cold and night had fallen, sneaking a peek at his watch, he hoped it wasn't too late. Hurriedly he got upon his bike and took a glance at the name card - time to head down to the western side of town.

The night wasn't getting any younger. _This is his last hope_, he chanted in his head as he pedalled furiously through the town, almost bumping onto an old lady who clicked her tongue angrily at him when he turned around to say sorry. He was getting careless but he had to find them – it was his last hope.

He slowed down at the next turn, a row of shop houses and quiet cottages caught his eye. It was undoubtedly quiet peaceful unlike the southern side of town, the crowded city area, where he lived. He got off the bicycle, tossing it away and walking through the long deserted road. Shop houses on his left were all closed – all except one.

A glimmer of hope sparked his heart and he sprinted over to the largest shop house at the far end labelled 'Hummel Tires & Lube', _wait, an auto repair shop?_ He looked into the big shop, looking like a garage, filled with tools and cars – not what he expected. He dug up for the name card again for a second look. It was written Burt Hummel, so he guessed as much this was the right place but –

A shout to his left interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey kiddo! What can I do for you?" Came a gruff voice.

Emerging from underneath a Ford Mustang, an older man with the most piercing grey green eyes appeared with a crowbar on his left hand and a large grin on his face. "Here to pick up something?" He greeted, approaching the younger male.

"You are Burt Hummel?" The hazel eyed man looked at him then back at his own name card. The older man nodded his head and reached a hand out for a shake but froze when he saw the name card on the other man's hand.

"Who gave you that?" Burt retreated, his eyes now unfriendly and his mouth in a frown.

"Santana." Came the worried reply. Taking off his hood, he revealed his unruly curls of hair and large wide pleading eyes. "Please Mr Hummel, you have to help me."

Burt shook his head, puzzled. "I know of no Santana." He blinked a few times, scratching his chin. "We only do automobile repairs here." Burt turned away from him, shaking his head once more, "Nothing else, son. I'm sorry."

"Please, I've been searching for years; nobody else can do this better than you can." He pleaded digging his pockets for his cheque book. "I'll pay. I can pay whatever you want." He walked up to Burt, who retreated back some more.

"I said no." Burt sounded tired.

"Burt please –"

"Burt."

Another voice interrupted the conversation. Turning behind, he saw a pale boy in overalls, holding up a paintbrush and glaring angrily at him. "Is he giving you trouble Dad?" The boy folded his arms, eyeing the newcomer before looking at Burt.

"Kurt." Burt greeted quickly, nodding at the chestnut haired boy. Kurt glanced swiftly at the strange brown hair male who was staring back, eyes beseeching for help.

"Santana sent me here." He spoke quietly, looking up at father and son. "I need your assistance and you will be greatly rewarded." After a moment of silence, he added, "Please."

Ice blue eyes glared fiercely at him. "We only do automobile repairs. If you aren't here for that, get out." Kurt hissed coldly, pointing a paintbrush angrily at him.

"I lost someone in the woods." The hazel eyed man whispered, "You are my last hope, please."

The father and son pair exchanged glances.

"The Smythes do hunting too. Why don't you go to them instead?" Kurt snorted after a moment of silence. "They love money; they'll do anything for money." He grumbled to the stranger.

Hazel eyes fixed onto the ice blue ones. "They can't do what you do." He told Kurt quietly. He turned to Burt sadly, "It's my fault he is gone, but I'm trying to make amends. Please." He gazed back at Kurt who seemed to be deep in thought.

"I was reckless and stupid." He mustered up, glancing at Burt again, "I cared more about myself than anyone else. I lost him that night and I've been trying to find him ever since."

Burt let out a sigh. "Kurt?" He turned to his son, who looked nonchalantly back.

"We expect fast and good payment." Kurt snapped curtly, glaring at the stranger, who nodded eagerly, eyes twinkling in a wild daze. "Follow me." Kurt beckoned to the hazel eyed man.

Kurt led him up the steps. Spiralling staircases and a scent of lavender caught his nose as he followed the boy up to another small room. They stopped in front of a wooden carved door, dust covering the surface as if it hadn't been used in a long time.

Kurt seemed to have read his mind. "We stopped hunting years ago." He excavated out an ancient looking key from his back pocket and pushed it in the door lock. Turning it, it opened with a loud click and a creak as Kurt pushed the door wide open.

Silver bows and arrows hung on walls like trophies caught his eyes. Guns, axes and long katanas were all on display and in the middle of the room; right in front of the windows was a wooden table, a dashing silver bow on the table, almost covered by stacks of paper.

"I will need you to fill in a contract." Kurt commented stiffly, swatting a dust particle away from his face. "But before we do continue," He turned to the man with questioning eyes, "I never got your name."

The hazel eye man raised out a hand.

"Anderson. Cooper Anderson."


	2. Dusk of them

Kurt Hummel eyed the sturdy looking male named Cooper Anderson. He didn't like the other party not one bit, but something tugged in his heart that he needed to help this man – plus Santana wouldn't be running around giving out random people their name cards unless it was a deathly emergency.

Cooper looked more than worried, his face in a tight frown and eyes darting around as Kurt stalked over to the table and picked up a piece of parchment paper, handing it over to Cooper who snatched the contract letter swiftly to read.

"So what is it?" Kurt asked uninterestedly, "Vampires? Goblins?" He dug under the papers for a pen or some sort.

"Please don't tell me it's the Easter bunny, because I clearly killed it years back – Ah found it!" Kurt managed to pull out his old pen under the sheets of paper. This place could certainly use some cleaning. He passed the pen to Cooper, who glanced at him warily.

"Or rather yet, tell me your little pity story." The chestnut haired boy scoffed quietly. "What happened, Mr. Cooper Anderson?" Kurt raised an eyebrow at Cooper, who was signing the contract.

"It says here that if I cannot make payment, you will feed me to the dragons." Cooper muttered, ignoring Kurt's snarky comment and passing over the parchment. "You have dragons?'

"You actually read it." Kurt remarked. Looking at the contract, signed neatly at the bottom of the contract was Cooper's name. Kurt shrugged half-heartedly, "We could feed you to whatever needs feeding."

Cooper gulped.

He dug in his pockets for his cheque book and fished it out, tearing a piece of a cheque and looking up at Kurt beseechingly. "Is five million enough?" Cooper asked, turning to his cheque book and scribbling on it furiously. When he didn't receive a reply from Kurt, he looked up only to see the other boy's jaw agape, staring blankly at him.

"You want more?" Cooper poked further, puzzled by Kurt's expression.

Kurt shook his head and seemed to have regained his composure. "Five million?" He gaped at Cooper, "What is it you need hunting? A hoard of zombies?"

Cooper gazed at the small sized boy in front of him – could this little fellow even take on a dwarf? He motioned for a chair, "You need to sit down for this." Ice blue eyes glared harshly back.

"I can stand, mind you." Kurt huffed.

Cooper decided to stand too. He looked at Kurt sadly, "My brother has gone missing." He whispered, feeling hollow and disappointed, "He went into the woods and never came back." Cooper gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away from the wide eyes of Kurt.

"I told him that they didn't exist and being a stubborn brat he wanted to prove me wrong – and I let him."

Hazel eyes were weary as they gazed back Kurt Hummel, who looked neutral and nonchalant staring back with glint of amusement in his eyes. Strangely Kurt shook his head quietly. Cooper ignored the weird sudden movement and continued his tale. "At first I thought it was werewolves." He told Kurt, "I didn't believe _it _existed." He took a deep breath in.

"Wendigos." 

There was complete utter silence for a long minute. Cooper saw the pale boy's lips pursed and his ice blue eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Cooper opened his mouth to speak again but Kurt raised a hand for silence, glowering at Copper – _wait? He's angry at me?_ The smaller sized boy seemed motionless until he began to shake his head frivolously.

"No." Kurt fumbled out; his eyes cold and unfeeling as they fixated themselves onto Cooper's warm hazel ones. "Get out."

Cooper's face furrowed in confusion. "What?" He enquired in sudden disbelief.

"Get out." Kurt's voice trembled.

"Wait I signed a contract, what's going on?" Cooper rounded up, feeling nervously angry, his turn to glare at Kurt.

"I SAID GET OUT!" Kurt screamed, crumpling the contract and throwing it at Cooper, his ice blue eyes filled with anger. "GET OUT!"

There was a sound of footfalls and Burt was instantly at the entrance of the room. His worried face turned to a face of anger when he saw Kurt on defence, glaring venomously at Cooper. "What's going on here?" He bellowed at Cooper.

Cooper was bewildered. Kurt had suddenly lost it, the younger boy looking as if Cooper had poisoned him with his words – all he did was tell Kurt his dilemma. "I didn't do anything," he told Burt calmly, his voice wavering slightly, "I just requested for help." He uncrumpled the contract and held it out.

Kurt looked pale and shook his head, "I will not." He hissed.

Burt looked as confused as Cooper and he turned to Kurt expectedly, hoping for an answer. Kurt remained as motionless as ever, not willing to say anything except to shake his head and glare at Cooper.

"My brother, Blaine Anderson has been taken by a Wendigo." Cooper announced, "A-are you angry at that?" He glanced at Kurt questioningly.

At the corner of his eye, he saw Burt's jaw drop.

There was a pregnant pause.

Cooper felt that his hope fizzed out like a dying flame when he saw the father and son pair quiet and cold. It was too late – they couldn't help. They looked like they did not want to help. Cooper shook his head and let out a heavy sigh of defeat. "I will go." Cooper mumbled overwhelmed with a sense of loss. He would've added _'I'm sorry for bothering'_ but he couldn't muster it out as he turned towards Burt, ready to leave and sulk back at home.

"No." Cooper's head shot up to see Burt talking to him. "We'll help you. All the more we will help you."

Cooper whipped his head to glance at Kurt, who seemed still in a fit of rage.

"We lost someone to a Wendigo," Burt spoke as Cooper turned back to the older gentleman, "But a bad experience won't stop us from helping you out, kiddo." Burt's eyes were soft and kindly as he spoke. "You came to the right place, Cooper. We're more than ready to hunt out for a Wendigo."

"He's not looking for a hunt Dad." Kurt sneered, his high voice echoing the room as he appeared beside Cooper. "He's looking for his most probably dead brother."

"He's not dead." Cooper retorted, annoyed by Kurt. "You haven't let me finish my story."

Burt placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "Let the boy speak, Kurt. He's signed the contract." Kurt didn't seem so pleased but he nodded curtly at Cooper to finish his tale.

Grinning at Burt, Cooper continued, "He's been missing for 3 years now. I gave up a few months ago, trying to find him – I thought he was dead, like you said," He motioned at Kurt, who rolled his blue eyes. "But a few months back, while I was chasing after this thief into the forest, I saw Blaine." Cooper's eyes were dazed and weary.

"Blaine, my brother in the flesh, just staring at me."

Kurt's eyes widened at that, a sudden glint of malice within those ice blue eyes but they were gone before Cooper could ever confirm it.

"He looked too skinny." Cooper murmured, closing his eyes, imaging the flashback of Blaine's own unruly locks, thin cheekbones and tears running down his big sad eyes. He heard a chuckle to his left and opened his eyes to see Kurt shaking his head lightly and chuckling. "He's alive." Cooper told Kurt.

To Cooper's surprise, Burt spoke up, "It's not funny, Kurt." He warned gruffly. At once Kurt stopped, scoffing softly and shrugging. Cooper smiled gratefully at the older man who nodded for him to carry on with his tale.

"I stopped chasing the thief and called out Blaine's name, but all Blaine did was just stand and cry – it's heartbreaking." Cooper stopped for a while, remembering the moment. "It happened so fast." He turned to Burt mournfully. "Blaine just appeared right in front the thief, stopping her in her tracks. I thought he was trying to help me stop her from running."

Cooper took a deep breath in. "Blaine started to lunge at the thief and tried to eat her."

Burt looked worriedly back at Cooper, patting Cooper's back lightly. Kurt just scoffed some more, looking disinterested and nonchalant, but his eyes were on Cooper.

"I panicked and I shot him." Cooper whispered, "But he didn't die. He just looked back up at with the coldest eyes, the most unfeeling eyes – like he didn't know me at all." He let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"Then he vanished into the night." 

Cooper sighed and felt a cold hand on his back. Kurt was watching him very closely, the blue eyes now apprehensive and curious. "Santana owed me her life and so she told me about you."

"You are one tough guy, Cooper." Burt spoke, nodding at Kurt. "I gotta hand it to you." He clapped Cooper's back a little bit too harshly, causing the latter to choke.

"Santana was lucky." Kurt muttered, rolling his eyes. "Let me guess then, you're a cop?" He glanced coolly at Cooper, "You do know guns don't work on these monsters."

Cooper snorted. He shrugged, slightly happy to get a grin from both parties and willing help, even as reluctant as Kurt seemed.

"How old is Blaine?" Burt questioned, curiously eyeing Cooper.

"Blaine's barely twenty, probably nineteen now." Was the quiet reply. Kurt's head shot up this round, looking peculiarly at Cooper.

"We set out at dusk tomorrow." Kurt spoke tartly. "You may rest here for the night." His voice was commanding now as he shifted himself around the round, packing up most of the mess. Kurt seemed to have a sudden spark of life into his soul as he started rounding up objects in the room.

"Be forewarned, you must do everything in precaution for the Wendigo is not a beast who can be easily surpassed. There are things we must avoid, and things we must have." Kurt stopped packing up some papers and turned to Cooper wearily.

"I hold no promises that your brother will return safe and back to normal." He spoke lightly, dipping his head a little, his chestnut brown hair covering his eyes. "It's all the contract and payment can be discussed after we find Bane."

"Blaine." Cooper corrected.

"Right, Bland." Kurt continued, shrugging, digging through the shelves and Cooper didn't want to spoil the other boy's mood with any more talking.

"Come on, Cooper. You can sleep on the couch tonight. It looks like Kurt has some preparing to do." Burt patted Cooper's shoulder and beckoned him out of the room. Cooper followed Burt out but stopped mid way to turn to Kurt.

"Thanks Kurt." He called out to the younger boy.

"Don't thank me yet." Came the bitter reply. "I'd like to believe some people are better off dead."

With that Cooper left the room, feeling a little bit lighter than he was just before. He turned to Burt and grinned charmingly, "Thank you Mr. Hummel."

"You are welcome." Burt led him up another flight of stairs into a cosy looking living room, a warm fire place and wooden interior – it was even more homely than his own little apartment. Cooper settled down onto the velvet red coach in the middle and sighed gratefully. Burt said his goodnight and wandered off into another part of the large house, leaving Cooper to listen to the crackle of the fire place and the quiet hum of the fan.

_I'm coming to find you, Blaine. I promised._


	3. Hunter or hunted

Kurt shuffled through the papers, looking for a familiar one. It was adrenaline rushing to think of going back into the woods to hunt for this beast and his heart ached for sweet vengeance. He pulled one crumpled looking parchment on the table and eyed it suspiciously – I really got to clean up this place more often. He ploughed through the mess, throwing away useless sheets of empty parchment away until his eyes caught onto the letter.

Scrambling to pick it up, he almost tripped over one of his arrows on the floorboards. He silently grumbled to himself and lifted up the old velvet letter to read – it was red inked with black in cursive writing and signed Elizabeth at the bottom. Kurt stared at it, running a finger down the old parchment softly and sighing, humming a little tune of green sleeves as he read the letter to himself.

_I strive to be my subterranean self,__  
__against nature; pepper, goodly so;__  
__burlap memories are no good for holding water;__  
__it's cold today and the flowers have gone;__  
__the air is voluptuous, who says nothing can't have curves;__  
__the sun wore a turtle-neck this morning -__  
__or mountains, I can no longer tell and it is scary —__  
__this must be god's language._

It was the final letter she wrote. Kurt reminisced, remembering the soft sweet scent of lavender and her saccharine voice; that sounded like lovely bells. She loved poetry, she loved Burt and she would grace Kurt with all her love in the world. Kurt blinked slowly – he would've cried, he really would but he had dried up all his tears ever since she left into the woods.

Kurt shuddered at his nightmares. Haunting nightmares of him searching for his mother in the woods, with nothing but a useless gun and torchlight, it was torture with sleepless nights. He clenched his fists angrily – how he hated being useless and vulnerable. It wasn't fair that she had to go – it was inequitable.

He folded the letter neatly and shoved it in his pockets. Promptly, he shuffled a few more papers away from the table till it was empty except with a large silver bow assembled statically on the it. Kurt placed his hand on the still cold bow, memories flooding back into his mind – he as a little kid, training in the woods hunting birds and deers.

Of course now, he hunted differently. Different things to be more specific.

Kurt stalked over to a shelf were swords were hung on display and opened it up, dust emerging from the untouched metal and wood. Coughing slightly, Kurt reached in – a small little box, the size of a shoe box, at the back of all the swords. He pulled the silver box out carefully, still humming a little tune.

With equanimity, he opened the little box, his blue eyes dazed and filled with a quiet sort of tenderness. Inside were drawings of a beast – a large malnorished looking beast with the largest owl eyes and dreadful fangs that hung on it's lipless face. Claws that were sharpened and long, a wolfish structure that was neither man or monster. Kurt shifted the papers aside.

Underneath all that was a still heart. Dried out and unmoving lay a brown red stone cold heart.

Kurt smirked coldly.

The heart of the Wendigo. It looked too human to belong to such a monsterous creature and Kurt shook his head, willing the thoughts of anger to go away. He never thought of ever meeting such a creature again – they were rare cases, usually left to be ignored for the beast was not an easy catch. He smirked lightly, looking at the dried up heart, of course Kurt Hummel was not an amateur in this hunt.

The mystery of how Cooper managed to see his brother after being captured by a Wendigo was surprising to Kurt – usually the victims were hunted and killed, possibly eaten up. A spark of hope fluttered in Kurt's chest but he pushed the feeling away, _no, she's dead_.

"Kurt?" Came a quiet mumble from the door and Kurt recognised Cooper's voice. He didn't turn around, feeling a familiar fear creep up his neck.

"What's my father's name?" Kurt asked, without looking back.

There was a pause. Then a puzzled reply, "Burt?" Cooper sounded confused at the sudden question as Kurt whipped around to see the man's face pale and tired out. Kurt Hummel didn't like people, especially not men who went around knocking at people's doors late at night. He frowned at Cooper, shaking his head at the bewildered looking man.

Of course Cooper wouldn't have known what had made Kurt shiver at the sound of his own name. Kurt breathed a sigh of irritation and glowered at Cooper, who looked more than annoyed at Kurt's reaction towards him.

"I'm sure you've read about the Wendigo's myth, Mr. Anderson." Kurt began, looking cautiously at the other party. "Have you heard about what it can do?"

Cooper was silent for a moment, watching Kurt before nodding curtly. "I've read up about it, researched about it – but only you would know. You've been through it." He raised an eyebrow at Kurt.

"The Wendigo is a supernatural entity of enormous power, the embodiment of insatiable hunger, gluttony, unbridled evil, and the savage predator." Kurt spat out angrily, narrowing his eyes, "Lore has it that it is," he paused for a moment lips curving up to a smirk, "That it is indestructible."

Cooper gulped and Kurt chuckled a little, his blue eyes twinkling.

"The Wendigo is able to mimic human voices, which are most often cries for help. The beast's roar is utterly terrifying, and the fear it inspires cuts to the bone. When the freezing winds rise, it is said that the Wendigo's howls can be distinguished from the moan of the wind, letting people nearby know that a monster lurks in their midst. For its prey, these warnings occur far too late to make any appreciable difference."

"Another myth of the Wendigo is if it's the middle of winter, and you hear your name in the howling wind, do not follow the voice." Kurt muttered, fixing a hard stare at Cooper. "And since it is the middle of winter, Mr. Anderson," he emphasised on Cooper's name, "Ask a question to make sure it's not the monster calling out for you."

"Hence I asked you about my father's name." Kurt smirked at the other party's expression.

"I know about that myth." Cooper retorted back, looking slightly peeved. "But thanks for informing me."

Kurt nodded sharply, "Let me shed a light on your might-be misconceptions of the beast." He grinned mischievously, "According to legend, it's nearly impossible to escape a wendigo. They are hunters by nature, being extremely fast and allowing nothing to get in the way of their never-ending hunger. Even if you could escape physical damage," Kurt stopped, glancing unkindly at Cooper, "which is unlikely, the very fact that you'd encountered an otherworldly wendigo would leave you mentally vacant. "

Cooper looked as if he was about to bestow a livid rejoin but he kept hushed and gazed expectantly at Kurt.

"The Wendigo was once a man that broke a tribal taboo and ate human flesh. A malignant spirit possesses the cannibal, and thus the Wendigo is born." Kurt continued.

"When the Wendigo hunts, it stalks the victim for long periods. The chosen victim only has a dreadful feeling of being followed. Unfortunately, the Wendigo has a sadistic streak." Kurt snarled, letting out a sharp exhale of breath.

"It prefers to terrify its victims before moving in for the kill, so that they panic, firing weapons haphazardly into the brush as the dense forest closes in on them. Eventually, the intended victim succumbs to insanity, running wildly into the forest with abandon. In such a state, they are easy prey for the Wendigo."

Cooper's face paled slightly and Kurt continued solemnly.

"The Wendigo has been known to enter cabins and other dwelling, unlocking them from the outside and slaughtering the inhabitants, then proceeding to convert the cabin into its own lair. The Wendigo tends to hibernate for long periods, ranging in length from a few months to years at a time. Once they awaken, they go into a feeding frenzy, and after having eaten enough humans, it retreats to its lair and falls back into hibernation once again."

There was a long pause.

Kurt looked at Cooper coldly. "On rare occasions, it will take humans alive and hide them away in its lair, allowing the beast to feed whenever it wants." He saw Cooper's hazel brown eyes brighten with anticipation.

"Since the Wendigo is more intelligent than many humans, it understands the value of storing and saving its food. However, it only resorts to this when food is scarce and it becomes desperate." Kurt raised a brow. "Perhaps your little brother got lucky."

Cooper grinned, "That is why I have to find him. I know he's alive, I can feel it."

Kurt shook his head slowly, "I am not done here," he stated icily. "He is alive but is he _human_?" There was an exchange of glances between the two parties as Cooper's face paled once more.

"You said he tried to eat the thief, Santana." Kurt whispered his blue eyes dark and sharp with a flash of malevolence. "What if, Mr. Anderson," His voice dropped low, "What if your little brother isn't what you think he is?"

Cooper was silenced, the hazel pools filled with guilt and fear.

"I cannot bring your brother back, Mr. Anderson." Kurt concluded quietly. "I can only find him or his dead body."

The room was so dead quiet; you could even hear a pin drop. Kurt observed the older man, who seemed so hopeless and lost – something stirred in Kurt's heart, a sting of sadness for the man he never met till a few hours ago. _The Wendigo_, Kurt thought, _was __not a monster that one could encounter and hope to survive.__  
_  
Cooper's gaze fell to the floor and he let out a few mumbles that Kurt couldn't hear.

"What?" Kurt questioned.

Cooper's head rose up to meet Kurt's curious expression. "If we bring him back and it's not Blaine – then kill it."

Hazel brown eyes were glistened with tears as they met Kurt's blue ones. For a slight moment, Kurt could feel the disappointment burning within those pools, the guilt, the misery and the anger was all too familiar.

"You did it before didn't you?" Cooper muttered, now staring at the box Kurt was holding onto, "That thing there. The beast's heart."

Kurt let out a loud chuckle.

"Oh but it once was my mother's." Kurt's eyes were cold and bitter, letting out a snort of disgust as he closed the box shut. Cooper's eyes flew wide open as Kurt fixated the other party with a glare. "I have your word that I can kill the beast even if he looks like your brother?"

Cooper nodded mutely.

"Your mother –"

Kurt interrupted the man with a hard stare. "Go away." He growled at Cooper, narrowing his ice blue eyes, ignoring the hurt look on Cooper's face.

Obediently, Cooper turned towards the doorway but stopped midway. "I remembered why I came here in the first place," He back-traced to Kurt, who nonchalantly stared at the older man.

Cooper pulled out a photograph from his jacket pocket and passed it over to Kurt. On it was a young boy, a bright happy smile plastered on his tan face and brown hair gelled up neatly – he was standing next to a younger version of Cooper, who was also grinning happily, a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"That's Blaine." Cooper muttered, "Or rather what he used to be." There was a sad quiver in Cooper's voice.

Kurt stared at the photograph idly and looked back up at Cooper. "I will see you tomorrow at breakfast; we have a lot of things to discuss about." He stated solemnly. "I don't really need a picture, but I guess it will help."

At that Cooper nodded and left the room briskly.

Kurt turned back to the photograph of the boy and Cooper. His mother's voice echoed in his head, a poem she used to sing to Kurt.

"_Its eyes are ice and indigo!_

_Its blood is rank and yellowish!_

_Its voice is hoarse and bellowish!_

_Its tentacles are slithery,_

_And scummy,_

_Slimy,_

_Leathery!_

_Its lips are hungry blubbery,_

_And smacky,_

_sucky,_

_rubbery!"_

Kurt curled his upper lip angrily.

_Blaine's already dead. All he need do to was to kill another Wendigo that looked like a person. Jolly fun that would be._


	4. Into the silver

**A.N: Thank you for all your favourites and reads and follows, I'm so happy that you guys actually reading my fanfiction! Reviews keep me updating faster, winkwink.**

Cooper awoke to the smell of bacon. Sleepily, he opened his eyes, a sudden shock making his eyes fly wide open instead. The unfamiliar setting caught his off guard, his eyes adjusting to the brown homely living room as he remembered the events of last night. Head throbbing, he pushed himself up from the soft couch, observing the entire room in broad daylight.

To his left, a rocking armchair was tucked away silently in a corner under a tall window through which the sunlight was coming inside in sheets. On his other side, he spotted endless shelves of shelves, coating the walls, filled with books. It was a pleasant looking living room, a proverbial memory of his family's house appeared in his head and a sudden grasp of guilt shot through his heart.

He peered out behind the couch, a dining table laid out with food – delicious smelling bacon and eggs on plates. His stomach growled loudly. Burt emerged from a door, holding a stack of pancakes, grinning when he saw Cooper's face from behind the couch.

"Mornin'." Burt greeted, nodding at Cooper, who managed out a half smile. "Breakfast's almost ready."

Also, as if reading his mind, Burt placed the pancakes on the table and motioned to Cooper to one of the doors in the living room. "The toilet's over there."

Cooper thanked him gratefully and shot for the door leading to the bathroom.

When he washed himself him and tidied his messy hair, he exited the bathroom only to hear Kurt quarrelling with Burt in the dining room about something. Curious, he stood still, eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Dad, bacon isn't good for your system – it's greasy and disgusting." Cooper heard Kurt's high pitched voice sharp and angry, "Maple syrup with pancakes? Are you trying to get yourself into another heart attack?"

He heard Burt voice reply teasingly, "You keep feeding me rabbit food, Kurt. Plus if we want energy for tonight's hunt, this would do perfectly."

Cooper took notice of Kurt's loud snort and could imagine the younger boy rolling his eyes at Burt.

There was a slight pause.

"You are not coming with us, Dad." Kurt's voice was stern. There was a clang of glass on the table, as if Burt almost dropped his plate. Cooper's face turned pale – _wait Burt wasn't following them?_ A wave of uneasiness choked him_, just him and Kurt_?

"Kurt." Burt's voice was solemn. "It's not safe."

"That's exactly why you cannot join us!" Kurt sounded exasperated; Cooper could imagine the boy's cold piercing blue eyes glaring at his own father.

"Come on, Dad." Kurt's voice went soft and sad, "I have to protect you."

There were sounds of plates shifting on the table before Burt spoke, "I'm a hunter too Kurt." Said the older man, sounding weary, "Your mother would –"

"Don't bring her up in this conversation." Kurt snapped coldly.

There was a long pregnant pause between the two.

"Dad, just listen. If anything bad happens, at least you are safe." There was tenderness in Kurt's voice. There was a long pause and Cooper imagined Burt nodding his head.

"Speaking of which," Kurt announced coldly, "If the fly on the wall could so nicely come out for breakfast."

Cooper's heart sunk at the realization that Kurt was talking to him. Shyly, he stepped out from behind the wall looking embarrassedly at Burt. "I didn't hear everything." He muttered, glancing at Kurt quickly before looking apologetically at Burt.

In the morning light, Burt looked older than Cooper remembered yesterday night. His balding head and twinkling greyish-green eyes, dressed up in a simple blue checked shirt and jeans. Seated on a chair nearest to the kitchen door, he motioned at Cooper to sit beside him and passed the hazel eyed man a plate.

"How was your sleep?" Burt questioned, smiling at Cooper as he sat on his seat.

"Good." Cooper mumbled, taking the plate gratefully and eyeing the scrumptious looking pancakes.

Kurt cleared his throat loudly and Cooper looked up to the boy who was sitting down on the opposite side of the dinner table. Cooper stared fixatedly at Kurt Hummel, a clear view of how the boy actually looked like.

His perfectly coiffed chestnut brown hair matched with a pair of ice blue sharp eyes, filled with a curious glow under the sunlight from the window. His sharp features and pale skin made him look inquisitively like an elf. There was an aura of superiority as Kurt looked down from his spot, glaring bitterly at Cooper.

He didn't have the looks of a hunter, Cooper thought, unable to tear his eyes away from the elfish figure in front of him. He looked too clean – too pure and untouched. Kurt's blue eyes were striking and almost looked inhuman as they stared back curtly at Cooper.

"You done mentally raping my face?" Kurt hissed, folding his arms.

Cooper narrowed his eyes and turned to the pancakes, taking a few – feeling the burning gaze of Kurt on him. "I'm just wondering how a little boy like yourself can hunt." He spoke carefully, pouring syrup on his brown crispy pancakes. To his right, he heard Burt laugh loudly.

Cooper grinned as he turned back to Kurt, who gazed nonchalantly at him.

"Who says I can hunt?" Kurt shot back coolly.

To that, Burt laughed even more. Cooper looked worriedly at Kurt, a brow raised in confusion. "You can't hunt?"

"Who says I can't hunt?" Kurt retorted, puzzling Cooper even more. Anxiously, he turned to Burt for at least some explanation.

Burt clapped Cooper on the back heartily, chuckling. "Ignore my boy, he's always like that." The older man flashed a bright smile, and to Kurt he announced teasingly, "If you can't hunt, I'll have to come along!"

At that Kurt kept mum, rolling his eyes.

Cooper couldn't help but smile at that. _A happy scene at the dining table, he missed his own family – especially Blaine._ Guilt washed through him once again and he stopped eating, sighing miserably. Burt seemed to notice and tapped Cooper lightly on the shoulder, catching his attention. Glancing at Burt, he saw the older man smiling calmly.

"We'll find him." Burt declared. "It's not going to happen straight away, but we'll find him. Or rather –"He grinned at Kurt, who huffed and looked away, "Kurt will find him."

Cooper smiled uneasily and chomped on his pancakes.

Breakfast was quiet after that. Cooper helped Burt clean up the dishes and chatted with the older man about the Hummel's business – apparently it used to be an automobile in the day, a monster hunting business at night. _Used to._

Burt said he was happier without the hunting – it was more peaceful and relaxed in the household without being on edge all the time, having to make protection charms for themselves and the house. It was a simple life, Cooper saw Burt smile happily to himself as he told Cooper how it could've been better if they had stopped when they had Kurt.

_They - meaning his wife and himself_, Cooper noted to his self quietly, wondering about Kurt's mysterious mother.

Kurt, Burt was saying, was a natural at hunting. His instincts were sharp and he seemed more intelligent for his age. Cooper listened intently, hoping that Burt's praises to Kurt's seemly inexistent skills would still his worries, but his edginess didn't subside. Burt looked as if he wanted to say something else but he stopped, suddenly remembering about his customer's car down at the garage.

"Make yourself at home;" The last thing Burt was telling him as he went downstairs, "Kurt's in study if you need him."

Hence Cooper found himself standing at the closed door to the room which contained more weaponry than books. He could imagine Kurt's aloof voice telling him to go away, those intense blue orbs glaring at him. Cooper wondered why Kurt seemed so displeased to see him all the time, the younger boy always looking either nonchalant or distantly cold.

Kurt seemed like a petty spoiled brat rather than an experienced humble hunter – sure Kurt knew his stuff about the Wendigo but was he even good at shooting or running? Sure, they hunted at night, but Cooper was certain that they at least trained in the day; Kurt barely looked as if he stepped out into the sun with that pale unblemished skin.

Cooper folded his arms, he had been searching for years for hunters – there weren't many known ones in the small town of Lima, especially ones that specifically hunted Wendigoes. Most of the hunters he approached shut their doors at him when he requested them to help him find Blaine – they were either terrified of the Wendigo or unwilling to take on such a task.

After saving Santana from a Wendigo, he remembered her thanking him gratefully, saying even a black witch such as herself couldn't escape from such a monster and it was purely luck that day, as they made a mad scurry out of the woods together.

He did make her return her steal to the jewellery owner which she reluctantly did, but he pressed no more charges to her with a favour to tell him more about this Wendigo creature. Santana was hesitant and unwilling but she told him of a place that he could find a hunter willing to hunt for the beast. _Hummel's tire and lube_, he remembered her saying_, they might just be your saving grace._

_Not sure about that now_, Cooper thought to himself, glancing up at the closed door. He trusted Burt more than he trusted Kurt.

A sudden noise made Cooper jump, and he saw the door creak open slightly. He reached out an arm to push it open but before he could even do so, he saw the door swing open, with Kurt standing in the middle, blue eyes cold and staring.

There was an exchange of glares.

Cooper broke the silence, "If I'm going with you, I'm not going empty handed." He spoke quickly.

To his surprise, Kurt nodded curtly and stepped back to let Cooper in.

The room was cleaned up, Cooper noted as he walked in, seeing the wooden empty room as it was – with neat paper stacked up at a shelf and a large silver bow hanging on the wall nearest to the door, with long katanas and a couple of guns on the cupboard, ready to grab anytime.

Cooper huffed to himself, Kurt was planning and preparing afterall.

"You were contemplating to trust my skills at the door." Kurt stated bluntly, observing Cooper.

The brown haired man chose to remain silent as he glanced around the room for maybe a decent weapon he could handle – _maybe those swords, they seemed fitting and sharp_. He turned to the right, _or maybe those axes_. He could feel Kurt's gaze burning onto his back.

"Can I get a sword?" Cooper asked, turning to Kurt, "I do actually know about hunting." He saw Kurt's eyes narrow coldly.

"I'm a cop; I've handled with people worse than monsters." Cooper announced proudly and he smirked at the sight of Kurt's annoyed glare.

"Your arrogance is sickening." Kurt growled out, rolling his eyes, "I bet you'll run the moment you see any beast."

Cooper's face went red. "I bet you'll be the one running." He grumbled out angrily, walking around the room, observing the weapons hung on the walls.

To his amazement, he heard Kurt laughing out loud. "You want to make a bet with me, pretty boy?" He teased. "Deal." Kurt's voice lowered darkly.

Cooper whipped around to glance at the younger boy. _Did he just call me a pretty boy_? Cooper narrowed his eyes. "What's the prize?" was the question. "If I win," Cooper looked at Kurt, pausing for a moment, millions of things running through his mind, and it stopped onto what Kurt had been doing the other day.

"I get to see what you are painting." Cooper stated. He grinned when he saw Kurt's eyes widen slightly – seemingly shocked by the answer.

"Very well and if I win," Kurt smirked coldly, "I decide whether or not to murder your little brother, Wendigo or not."

There was a long pause as Cooper's heart stopped for a moment.

"Why the hell would you want to murder my brother? Are you nuts?" Cooper hissed, feeling anger like bile rising up his throat.

"It's just a game, Cooper." Kurt seemed too delighted, "Or are you afraid to lose?"

Cooper was trembling with fury now, wanting nothing more than strangle this little arrogant little kid in front of him. He took a deep breath in, calming himself down and ignoring the irritating looking smirk on Kurt's face.

"Wipe that grin off your face." Cooper choked out, trying to calm himself down, "I'm not afraid. It's a deal." He rose out a hand for a shake.

To his disbelief, Kurt reached in his denim jean pocket and fished out a knife. Without any warning of any sort, Kurt swiftly sliced Cooper's thumb, bright red blood oozing out from his skin as Cooper yelped in pain.

He grabbed his right hand, mouth agape, glaring at Kurt who was walking away to grab a piece of paper. "Blood deal." Kurt announced, turning back to Cooper, holding onto an empty white sheet. "Press your thumb on the bottom right hand corner."

Cooper stared at Kurt in anger but did as he was told. As he pressed his bloodied thumb on the paper, small words began to form on the once empty sheet. _Magic?_ Cooper's eyes widened. So his worries were right, _Kurt wasn't exactly human_.

He glanced at the boy, who was rolling up the paper and putting it on the table.

"Don't you need to put your own blood on that paper?" Cooper spat out coldly.

Kurt ignored him and walked over to a shelf, rummaging to find something. Cooper couldn't take it anymore – this mysterious little kid and his annoying arrogant voice. He didn't trust this boy whether or not he could help find Blaine.

"You're a witch." Cooper proclaimed, bitterly looking at Kurt's small figure still digging through the shelf.

"That paper is magic; it doesn't mean I'm magic." Kurt replied dully, back against Cooper.

Cooper was silenced for a moment.

"Your eyes are unnatural. You are not human." He declared loudly. Kurt seemed to have stopped his shuffling. Cooper froze for a moment, feeling the atmosphere tensing up.

Finally Kurt spoke, his voice dark and grim.

"Frankly, Mr. Anderson, if you have hunted as many beasts as I have – whether I was forced to kill or not – you start becoming inhuman yourself."

There was a long pause and Cooper looked away, slightly ashamed with his accusation. Kurt probably had faced a lot of difficulty too, but he was being difficult himself – being all sarcastic and mean. Still it didn't stop Cooper from muttering a quiet "sorry," to Kurt.

Kurt pulled out two guns from the shelf and Cooper froze, _is he going to shoot me_? Kurt seemed to notice the tension in Cooper's eyes and he lowered the guns down towards to floor as he faced him grimly.

"You will be using silver bullet guns." Kurt announced, walking to Cooper and passing the light weighted guns to him.

Cooper nodded; slightly disappointed he wouldn't be getting to use any of the weaponry other than guns.

"I will pass you a few charm salt bracelets – you are to keep them on at all times," Kurt commanded, walking to the desk and back against Cooper once again. "Be prepared. Shoot to kill," he ordered softly. "Except Blaine." Cooper added, looking at the intricately carved out guns made out of silver and had carvings of vines and leaves on.

Kurt snorted but nodded nonetheless.

Cooper turned on his heel and stalked out, hearing Kurt's voice, "We leave in 3 hours, Mr. Anderson." He nodded inwardly, still slightly disturbed by the cold voice of Kurt in his mind.

_Frankly, Mr. Anderson, if you have hunted as many beasts as I have – whether I was forced to kill or not – you start becoming inhuman yourself."_

_What did Kurt mean?_


	5. Danger, keep out

**A/N: Chapter 5 up here we go! I have to thank my boyfriend for being my lovely beta reader! And thank all of you who are reading and reviewing and following, 3 I love all of you!**

_There was a howl of a wolf. The once silent dark inky forest echoed the cry of the animal. Someone was approaching the woods. A human. There was a deep inhale from the cave. Shadows stirred in the moonlight._

_It was time._

Cooper huddled in Burt's thick jacket, the freezing winter breeze buffeting his hair and he huffed angrily, trailing after Kurt, who was dressed simply in a grey shirt and long jeans, coupled with brown boots. Was he not cold? Cooper snorted under his breath, almost tripping on a rock and falling on his face.

They had finally set out to the woods after Burt had made sure the both of them were armoured with enough bullets and weapons – Cooper felt his heavy pockets which were filled with extra silver items, Burt had told Cooper to sneak even more silver things to scare the beasts away even though Kurt had told his father that they would be fine.

Cooper decided not to take any risks, knowing the dark winter night would bring more monsters than he would expect. He trudged slowly behind Kurt as they entered multitudes of trees, slowly inward bound the huge forest.

Kurt had insisted to use fire instead of a torchlight when Burt passed Cooper a handy led torch hence Cooper rolled his eyes at the sight in front of him: Kurt holding onto a lighted candelabrum as he carefully hopped from rock to rock, staring ahead at the thickly forest that awaited them.

He turned back to see the long winding road that led them to the entrance of the woods. Kurt had to share a motorbike with Cooper (not even going to mention how awkward it was) to travel down to the northern side of the town where he noticed the dwindling cottage houses down the long road toward the woods.

Barred up with metal gates and protective wiring, Kurt had managed to sneak in through a dug up hole, while Cooper decided to climb – which wasn't a fantastic idea, judging by the heavy equipment he was holding onto. Kurt was only carrying a bow and a few arrows, silently smirking when he saw Cooper clumsily climb over the gates.

It didn't used to be barred, Cooper thought, remembering how easy it was to get into the forest a few years back. Also how it didn't used to have a large danger: do not enter sign at the front. Burt's words of caution rang in Cooper head – "It's not flight or fight here, son. It's fight or die." Cooper shuddered, shaking his head and turning back to Kurt, who had stopped and was watching Cooper with sharp blue pools.

"You can't turn back once we go further in." Kurt rumbled coldly.

Cooper huffed again, a puff of winter smoke escaping his lips. "I know that." He grunted annoyed with Kurt's sadistic smirk. Hurriedly, he caught up with the other boy. "I'm not scared." He declared hazel eyes bright with confidence.

Kurt just snorted and stalked forward, seemingly unfazed by the cold. He pointed out towards the dense trees ahead, bare trees without leaves, "I know where the beast lives, in the heart of the forest, a large cave where he hides his meals."

"It's not simple to find," Kurt added as Cooper caught up with the other boy, "It's usually hidden – well the beast hides it."

"Might take days; even months to find it." Kurt grunted coldly.

Cooper grumbled under his breath as they continued their journey into the forest. The air was colder and the dark forest taunted them. It seemed ominous but Kurt looked less than scared to venture in deeper. The only light source soon became the candle and Cooper had to keep up with the swift Kurt as they trudged in deeper, the grass on the grounds filled with snow and barren trees stood blocking the moon.

A wolf howled in the distance and Cooper felt his heart start to beat frantically. He looked at the calm looking boy, who was staring back bemusedly, smirking that annoying smirk. Determined not to get terrified, he decided to break the dreadful silence of the woods.

"So how many times have you been here?" He asked casually, watching Kurt roll his blue eyes.

"More than you Anderson." Came the snarky reply.

"I've been here a couple of times too," Cooper retorted, frowning, "It's the hiding spot of most bandits and thieves."

"A great meal for the vampires and werewolves." Kurt replied sardonically.

Cooper stopped in his tracks, glaring at Kurt, feeling more than annoyed at the sarcastic replies from his hunter partner. "Why do you have to be so snarky all the fucking time?" He could hear his voice echoing in the forest.

A few birds flew out from the barren trees. _Birds?_ Cooper looked up, _oh god,_ they were vampire bats – that thankfully left them alone. Breathing a sigh of relief, he glanced back at Kurt, who surprisingly was looking nervously up into the sky. _Scared?_ Cooper smiled to himself.

Kurt's eyes were on him, the younger boy glowering with a quiet rage at Cooper's smile.

"Do you want the entire forest to know we're here?" Kurt hissed. "I don't come into the woods in the winter for a good reason."

At that sentence, Cooper froze at the footfalls that seemed to be approaching. He reached for his gun on instinct, but Kurt raised an arm stopping him. From a distance, Cooper saw a white furry giant hiding behind the trees and he felt fear's icy grip on his neck, his hazel eyes widening.

"Yeti." Kurt whispered in amazement from beside him. To Cooper's shock, the younger boy starting waving his arms at the furred creature and trying to get its attention. Cooper stared at Kurt with his mouth agape – _what the heck was Kurt trying to do? Get them killed?_

To Cooper's disbelief, the giant yeti let out a terrified 'wat' noise and disappeared off into the trees, leaving Cooper to just stare blankly at the scene that just unfolded in front of his eyes. There was silence for a long while before Kurt started to walk off.

"What just happened?" Cooper rushed forward and stood in front of Kurt, stopping the younger boy from walking anymore further.

Kurt's blue eyes were twinkling in mischievousness. "Scared?" He taunted.

Cooper frowned. "What happened?" He jabbed Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt laughed, shaking his head. "Yetis are the shyest beasts you will ever come across. The moment they see a human watching them – they bolt. They are more frightened of you than you are of them, you daft thing."

Cooper scrunched his nose in annoyance. "Are there anymore nice beasts around here that shouldn't be scaring me?" he enquired sarcastically.

Kurt snorted and trekked forward, seemingly less rigid, "Dwarves are easy to scare – but not when they are in large groups. And also," He pointed to his left where Cooper jumped in shock when he saw a empty skull staring back

"Hullo." Kurt greeted as the skull surprisingly waddled out into the open and blinked a few times, yawning, its teeth bared and its tail upright and wiggling. "Bone pups." Kurt stated. "Completely harmless as long as you're not a skeleton."

It barked a hoarse bark that sounded more like a creaking door.

Kurt moved forward, Cooper feeling the tension ease off. The dark night was filled with a sudden calmness that washed over him. He felt a nip on his right hand and saw that the skeleton puppy waddling beside them.

"Don't let him know that you have bones inside your flesh." Kurt warned coldly, "They will be more than happy to rip you open."

That ruined the happy moment and Cooper swiftly folded his arms, glaring at the waddling boned puppy look-alike. They continued walking forward, the snow getting less thick and the rocks increasing in amount and size.

"I once brought them home." Kurt stated, hopping from rock to rock, the bone pup following him, sniffing his feet. "Burt was furious and demanded me to bring them back before the mother dog comes."

Cooper gulped. "Mother dog?"

"Yeah." Kurt nodded, "Just like the one in front."

Cooper's heart skipped a beat and he looked up. There was a giant skull of a dog glaring right into his eyes. He felt his legs give way. Blocking their route was a giant skeleton dog: that was very much alive. Black empty eye sockets stared back Cooper then to Kurt. It let out a menacing growl that made Cooper fall backwards.

He heard Kurt chuckle.

"Welcome to the territory of the bone pups." He warned. Cooper scrambled up only to see Kurt carefully carrying the bone pup and placing it in front of the giant mother dog.

"It's okay," He heard Kurt tell the angry looking skeleton giant softly; "I know you just want him back." He watched as the mother dog sniffed Kurt and rested her giant head lightly on the boy's head. It was sight to behold – Cooper eyed Kurt who seemed to be happily calm with his eyes closed, looking as if he was serene with a giant monster dog touching his head.

Kurt patted the snout of the giant as if signalling it to turn and walk away, the little bone pup following its mother. The figure of the greying bones disappeared into the night, the white milk boned little puppy's figure stopped for a second to bark at them before trudging into the dark forest.

Cooper was more than confused but he barely got a chance to ask when Kurt commanded loudly, "Let's go. We're wasting night time." He stalked off, not even waiting for Cooper to get up.

He glanced at his watch, hazel eyes tired out from peering through the dark night forest with just a candle. It was barely a quarter to ten, Cooper thought to himself, frowning as he looked back up at Kurt who was nimbly avoiding rocks on the ground. The night was eerily silent.

A noise from a bush on his right startled Cooper slightly and he stopped, "Wait, Kurt. I hear something!" He shouted to the boy in front of him.

Kurt didn't even turn around.

"It's probably a mouse." Came the reply.

Cooper stopped, eyeing the tall bush on the right, his hands on the gun, pointing towards the bush. "Who's there?" He ordered calmly. "Blaine?" The bushes remained still, Cooper feeling his heart beat racing faster as he stepped closer to the tall grass. It made a slight movement – something was inside.

"KURT!" Cooper growled.

Without warning, a white figure dashed out of the bushes and on impulse Cooper fired his gun. Two gun shots rang throughout the forest. There were footfalls as Cooper heard Kurt approaching, the younger boy letting out an irritated cry as he stooped an inch away from a dead rabbit.

Cooper had just wasted two bullets on a rabbit.

Kurt looked beyond aggravated.

"Do you really want the Wendigo on our trail?" He snapped at Cooper, looking furious. "We're close to the werewolf territory; you want those mutts on our tails too?" Kurt's face was furrowed into an angry frown.

Cooper's face went red and he kept his mouth shut, willing a retort away. He was jumpy for certain – they were after all in the beasts' territory, but he had his reasons: no sensible person would hunt through the deeper terrains without feeling anxious or tense.

Kurt rose out a hand but froze when he heard a soft growl.

Cooper's heart sunk when he saw a dark shadow loom over Kurt, a pair of bright yellow irises glowering. "Fuck." He heard Kurt mutter under his breath.

The figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees and into the moonlight. A large wolfish face glowed under the light of the full moon, its teeth bared and eyes bright with hunger. It eyed from Cooper to Kurt hungrily, a long red tongue lapping over its lips.

It all happened in a flash. As quick as Kurt was, unexpectedly the younger boy pushed his hands on Cooper and leapt over the older man, sprinting away, his bow clanging against his back. Cooper, grateful for his impeccable instincts (and a gun in his hand) shot the werewolf once before scrambling up to make a mad dash to where Kurt was headed.

He got up, ready to run towards Kurt, but the younger boy was nowhere to be seen – not even the glint of the candle in the dark could be spotted. Cooper cursed under his breath and made a decision to just run forward, not turning back to the see the werewolf hiss at the sting of the gunshot on its arm.

It was a poor decision. He could hear the livid howl of the werewolf and the loud thumping of its running paws on the ground. Not fight or flight, he remembered Burt's voice, its fight or die. Cooper tried to still his heavy heart as he stopped running and whipped around, hands on his guns, ready to shoot the werewolf –

CLANG! The guns were swung out of his hands, as the furious werewolf swiped at him with outstretched claws, just a few centimetres away from him. Cooper yelped, unbalanced and fell onto the snowy ground with a loud thud, back hitting onto an old oak tree.

He was cornered, weapon-less and _dead._

He saw the werewolf glowering over him, thick saliva dripping out from its mouth. It's yellow eyes bright and sinister, probably happy that he caught up to Cooper. Dread filled his heart and he let out a growl of rage himself at Kurt – stupid Kurt Hummel, the boy that ran away to leave him with the monster.

He shut his eyes tight as he saw the creature ready to lunge at him.

There was a sharp snap as something hit the ground a few inches away from Cooper. Hazel eyes flew open in shock as he spotted a silver arrow upon the ground, ice blue flames surrounding the arrow. It caught the werewolf's attention, stopping the monster from moving forward to attach Cooper.

There was a wolf whistle from behind the werewolf.

It turned and Cooper's heart skipped a beat. Behind stood Kurt, poised with another blue flamed arrow aimed at the werewolf – his ice blue eyes glowing balefully under the moonlight. The werewolf didn't even have any time to react to Kurt.

Agilely, Kurt fired the arrow right into the monster's heart, swiftly firing another arrow into its head – the boy's movement too fast even for Cooper to comprehend. It was _inhuman_.

Slowly the werewolf fell onto the ground, it's yellow eyes voided of life. Cooper watched Kurt walk forward to pull the arrows out of the werewolf's body, the young boy's face filled with nonchalance and negated of any fear.

The blue flames faded away the moment Kurt held them and he stuffed it into his arrow shaft, glancing at Cooper with a sudden look of amusement.

"Someone's scared." Kurt teased, raising a hand out for Cooper to take.

Cooper huffed angrily, just an inch close from death's wake a moment ago. He swiped Kurt's hands away and stumbled to find his feet back up, glaring at the smirking boy. He looked around for his guns, feeling agitated but relieved that he was safe.

"He didn't bite you did he?" Kurt questioned as Cooper bent over onto the ground, trying to find his guns.

"No." Cooper replied coldly.

"Let's go." Kurt commanded, Cooper could almost hear the boy grinning and he bristled with rage, ashamed that he almost got outwitted by a werewolf. Before he could retort to Kurt that he wouldn't leave without finding his weapons, the other boy spoke with such sickening delight it made Cooper shudder in anger.

"You're guns are with me, maybe you should leave them with me – you barely used it just now."

Cooper whisked around on his heel, glaring at Kurt and snatching the guns from Kurt's hands. He felt shame build up on his face and embarrassment of not being able to handle just one monster.

"Let's go." Kurt smirked and trekked forward, looking as if he was not even fazed one bit. Cooper frowned, walking forward and keeping mum for the time being.

From a distance, the two hunters did not notice a shadow watching them before slinking away into the dark.


	6. Silver dagger

**A/N: Sorry about the hiatus! I was so adamant on making this chapter good, I rewrote it 5 times! Here we go, chapter 6.**

Kurt heard Cooper groan in frustration, the brown haired man looking weary and tired as he rambled forward with his heavy backpack, cursing under his breath. After the entire werewolf incident, Kurt had kept an eye out for Cooper, watching him carefully - making sure the man wasn't going to run into anymore trouble.

Kurt didn't like the silence of the forest. Trekking in the night was one thing - hunting for a Wendigo in the winter night was another. It was dangerous, even more than that - it was suicide. His mother had told him once before, to never step foot into the woodlands at night; for the creatures of the night roam. The hunters come out to feast and the animals all go into hiding.

Kurt paused for the moment, observing his surroundings. He had been in the forest so many times he could recognise almost all the different routes. To his left, his eye caught a slow moving shape; the Yeti, he recalled, probably going to find a few twigs for its home. The rest of the woodlands remained dark and still.

Cooper fidgetted beside him, probably wondering why he had paused and stopped.

"Kurt," He heard the other man ask quietly, "Why did your bow have blue flames on them?" Cooper sounded tired and for a moment Kurt almost felt sorry for the man.

He ignore the question and walked forward, leaving Cooper to grunt in confusion and trail behind him slowly.

"It's like elf's flames, except blue." Cooper remarked, sounding curious. "Are you sure you aren't an elf? Your pale skin and your ears almost seem elfish."

Kurt stopped and turned to glare at Cooper - had he no sense to shut up? He narrowed his eyes coldly, "What I am does not concern you Mr. Anderson, have you forgotten that you almost got killed back there if it wasn't for me?"

Cooper huffed. Kurt grinned and turned back to tramp forward. There was a long pause before Cooper spoke.

"You lost the bet." He mumbled.

Kurt raised a brow. "What?"

"You ran away from the beast." Cooper retorted, pointing it out and Kurt couldn't help but roll his ice blue eyes boredly. "So you lost the bet!" the other man sounded excited.

Kurt shrugged nonchalantly and ignored Cooper's chuckle. He couldn't care less about the bet. In due time, Cooper would know the harshness of the Wendigo and how it was killed or be killed. He sneered inwardly, he knew all too well. His ice blue eyes narrowed once more, the Wendigo was his to be slayed, be it Blaine or not.

Cooper seemed to be having trouble; Kurt realized when he heard the other man grumbling and sounds of stones crumbling after being stepped on from behind him. Kurt couldn't help but smirk to himself. The terrain here was not easy for an unfamiliar party to thread on.

He remembered how he and his mother used to explore the woods, how she would teach Kurt how to avoid the poisonous berries and how to walk stealthily on stone. He called to mind how she would sing to the fairies and how she taught him that the woods were a beautiful place to be - in the morning.

Kurt loved the peace - he would enter the forest whenever he could, to chase the birds and watch the little dwarves argue about mushroom stocks. Occasionally, he would be excited to sing along with the fairies but what caught his eye was he the cave in the middle of the woods. He marvelled at what was inside when he was a little boy - where there dragons inside? Unicorns? Or perhaps a parallel universe?

His mother told him to stay away but he was too curious.

Kurt frowned deeply as he memorized the day he first went into the cave. It was a lovely spring morning and Burt was collecting herbs with his mother as Kurt, a inquisitive little thing began to wander off into the woodlands, heart set on finding the large looking cave.

He did managed to find the large cave - located at the heart of the forest. Covered in moss and fallen leaves, he entered the large entrance to the cave. All he felt was bitter cold. Compared to the spring weather, the entire cave was as cold as ice. He meandered deeper into the ice cave and stopped when he caught a glimpse of it.

It, Kurt remembered, was huddled in ice. Frozen with its eyes wide open and staring into Kurt's own blue eyes. He wasn't afraid. He was curious and far too interested in the new creature that stood before his little self. It looked like a werewolf but it couldn't be. It was too big and it looked too skinny.

He reached forward to touch the frozen beast.

It blinked.

"Kurt." Cooper's voice broke Kurt's train of thoughts.

The younger boy hissed under his breath before whipping around to glare at Cooper. "What?" He snapped, annoyed by the interruption.

"I hear _people_." Cooper whispered, looking anxiously around.

Kurt grimaced. _Thieves?_ He stood still, listening, to his disappointment, Cooper was right. There were voices of humans. He pulled out his bow quickly and aimed at the direction of the sound, it was coming from the West side - they might be looking for the poor Yeti.

"What are you doing?" Cooper hissed, grabbing Kurt's arm tightly. "Are you going to kill them?"

Kurt looked at Cooper bitterly. "Either my bow or the monsters around here."

"Let's just go and find the Wendigo." Cooper whispered urgently, his grip tight on Kurt, who just rolled his eyes.

It was not safe either way, Kurt thought. If the other party of people spotted him or Cooper it would spell the end of their quiet trek – stealth was important here. He frowned deeply at Cooper who was trying to pull Kurt to walk forward.

Kurt Hummel wasn't one to enjoy physical contact. He yanked his arm away roughly, eyeing Cooper coldly. He didn't want trouble with the thieves (though he wasn't so sure what they were) either but he knew for certain that they would cross paths again – and if they were bandits, it wasn't going to end up pretty.

He huffed to his self, continuing the long trail to the cave of the Wendigo. Behind him he heard Cooper breathe a self of happy relief. Kurt raised a brow: Cooper was either really anxious to find his little brother, or just plain tired and wanted to stay out of people's way.

"Are we reaching?" Cooper questioned, sounding more jubilant.

Kurt shook his head. They were far from reaching – especially with the routes now mostly covered in snow; it was difficult to find the correct pathway as Kurt remembered. Something at the back of his head told him that the Wendigo wasn't in the cave, but of course if Blaine had managed to survive that monster – number one; he was probably a food source locked up in the cave or number two: infected with the Wendigo's insanity (also most possibly in the cave). Basically, if they wanted to find the boy, the cave would be their best bet.

"So how many monsters have you hunted?" Cooper tried to spark a casual conversation, seemingly oblivious to Kurt's annoyance with talking.

Kurt ignored the boy, observing the dense trees ahead – they could possibly run into a vampire anytime soon, judging by Cooper's bloodied hand scratched by the werewolf. Vampires had a keen sense of smell, especially heightened at night where they did their feeding. Not that Kurt had any trouble of fighting one off – he wasn't used to protecting others, he was a huntsman, not a sentinel.

"Blaine used to want to become a hunter," Cooper was speaking, completely ignorant of Kurt's irritated sneer. "But our father wanted us to be like him – he was head chief police back when we were just kids."

"Oh wow." Kurt grunted sardonically, "The cliché I have to follow my father's footsteps story."

Cooper disregarded the comment and continued, "Blaine was the rebellious one, he would sneak into the woods to "hunt"," Kurt could hear Cooper snort in amusement; "our father wasn't too pleased to know it."

Kurt kept silent, ears focused on the surroundings – was that a dead rabbit? He eyed the furry white carcass on the ground near his foot and he paused, Cooper still rambling on about his little brother.

"Blaine's a nice boy. Polite, humble and friendly – "

Kurt reached out his foot to turn the rabbit's dead body over. A gunshot wound. His eyes widened – was this the same rabbit that Cooper killed just now? _Probably not_, he shot twice. This rabbit was shot once in the head_. Bandits._

_Crap._ That could only mean – Kurt stepped back, blue eyes locked on ahead of him. His senses were sharp, the sounds of the forest loud and beating in his ears. He felt Cooper tense up beside him, the other party, watching closely.

He heard footfalls and hurriedly whipped out his bow, aimed for the enemy ahead.

Cooper backed away slowly, hands on his guns – eyes locked ahead too. There was complete silence except for Cooper's heavy breathing, which Kurt made a mental note to tell the other man that it was annoying.

There was a crack of a twig and Kurt heard Cooper stumble back slightly and he poised, ready to shoot. Two figures materialized in front of Kurt, yelping at the sight of him and Cooper, slightly startling the young boy. Cooper had let out a loud yelp and was stumbling with his guns.

There was a quick exchange of glances.

"Don't even move." Kurt hissed, his eyes on the two men in front of him, their faces matted with blood and looking more terrified, holding up their guns. He glowered at the sight of the two humans running amok in the woodlands. "Lower your weapons." He commanded and they did so, albeit hesitantly.

Cooper raised a questioning brow.

"Why are you covered in blood?" He enquired, lowering his own guns and placing them into his pockets. Kurt glared at Cooper_, what kind of idiot lowers his defences_? He turned back when one of the humans spoke.

"Werewolves," he heaved out. His green blue eyes were bright with fear, his sharp face and knotted hair filled with blood. The other one beside him nodded, his blonde hair dripping with his own blood and face filled with scratches. Kurt's quick eyes scanned them both, and swiftly rounded his bow onto the blonde boy.

"Woah," he gasped, raising his arms and shaking his head. "We are out of bullets man, we're not really going to shoot you – please don't shoot us."

Kurt narrowed his eyes and dipped his head towards the blonde's right hand, where blood was dripping from his torn sleeve and a huge bite mark lodged on the upper arms of the blonde.

"He's bitten." Cooper whispered, backing away slightly.

Kurt nodded, slightly pleased at Cooper's observation and his sharp intake of breath in fear. He glared at the terrified blonde in front of him, who seemed to be trying to hide his injury from Kurt.

"The scent from the both of your blood soaked clothes," Kurt undernoted darkly, a glint in the cold eye blue eyes, "will attract the vampires."

Both of the men exchanged worried glances.

The brown haired one spoke quickly, "You have to get us out of here." He ordered, looking to Cooper, who looked unsure.

Kurt let out a loud snort and let his arrow fly right into the blonde's heart. There was a loud gasp and thud as he fell to the ground, his body writhing in pain, his red blood inking the snowy grounds of the forest.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?" The brown haired bandit (Kurt now decided to name them as bandits – I mean who would be running around the forest at dark) yelped, backing away from his dying friend.

Kurt aimed the bow at him now, catching the glint of dread creeping up on the brown haired man.

"Kurt." Cooper's voice was low, "Kurt, he's not a danger to us."

Kurt ignored Cooper's tremor in his voice. He glared at the bandit, who was backing away slowly, looking horrified to his wit's ends. Kurt moved forward along with him, an evil smirk plastered on his face.

"Kurt." Cooper's voice was urgent now, terrified. "Stop, let's just leave him alone. He won't hurt us."

At the end of that sentence, the bandit broke off into a run. Kurt's feet pounded onto the snowy grounds, chasing after the brown haired man, shooting an arrow but missing as the bandit swiftly dodged it.

Kurt could hear Cooper's screams behind him, calling him to come back, but his aim was on this little bandit. He was definitely attracting a lot of movement in the forest, Kurt realised, observing his surroundings as he pursued after the brown haired bandit – he spotted a few centaurs running away on his left. He heard the chatter and drone of the forest grow louder as he hunted, almost an arm's length away from the bandit.

He could hear the brown haired man shrieking profanities at him and Kurt couldn't help but grin.

He caught up to the bandit in no time but before he could even reach out to grab the bandit's arm there was a flash of a shadow and a loud shriek an inch away from Kurt. He halted, startled, the bandit gone from in front of him. The forest had gone silent.

He turned to his left and froze.

A few metres away, stood a curly haired boy; his hands on the bandit's neck, clutching it tightly but his big brown eyes were locked with Kurt's as if challenging him. There was a terrifying smirk on the young boy's face, and he cocked his head to the right smiling away at Kurt.

Kurt felt his heart stop. _In no way that boy was a vampire_ – his mind was whirling, in denial – but Wendigoes, they don't look like that. There was a loud shriek behind Kurt, and he recognised Cooper's delighted yelp.

"BLAINE!"

The monster didn't turn to look at Cooper, his eyes still fixated on Kurt. With a swift turn of its head, it had broken the neck of the bandit and its teeth had torn the entire head off the brown haired man.

There was a stumble of footsteps – Kurt raised his bow, hearing the sharp inhale of Cooper behind him. The monster didn't even bat an eyelid. He watched Kurt, lazily devouring the bandit's head and smirking smugly.

"Go on and shoot." It took Kurt a moment to realise that the monster had spoke. The dark curly haired boy was grinning, his blood stained lips in a thrilled smirk that sparked an annoyance within Kurt's mind.

"Don't shoot him!" Cooper hissed urgently from behind, "We made a pact!"

Kurt ignored the gasp as he let his arrow fly once more. It cut through the air, blue flames surrounding the arrow but before it reached the monster's heart, the beast had vanished once more, the headless bandit's body thrown onto the ground.

"COOPER." Kurt's voice was tensed, "COME HERE!" He turned to the man, who was staring at Kurt mouth agape.

There was a cold chill and he felt a presence materialize beside him.

"_I'm still hungry_."

It was gone before Kurt could whip out his silver dagger to stab its heart.


	7. In the standstill

******A/N: Sorry about the hiatus! I am currently undergoing a final year film project and was busy in Cambodia for the last few weeks! Here's chapter 7, and chapter 8 will be up soon! Thank you so much for your reviews; it keeps me writing! ;**

Kurt had not moved from his spot – the younger boy seemingly in a frozen trance, not reacting to Cooper's questions or even taps on his shoulder. He didn't know if Kurt was waiting or if he was just stunned by the appearance of Blaine.

Questions buzzed through Cooper's mind – emotions whirling around him: Blaine, he had finally saw Blaine again but his brother did not even react toward him at all. A sudden sense of dread pierced his heart; Kurt was right. _Blaine wasn't exactly human_, Cooper grimaced at the thought of his brother devouring the bandit's head.

_Speaking of bandits_, Cooper stared at the pale boy in front of him, narrowing his hazel eyes; he was not amused by Kurt's callous response to the bandit who had been bitten by the werewolf. What Kurt did was inhuman, almost as if Kurt was a beast himself.

Cooper shook his head, trying to clear his mind. The forest was eerily silent as he took in the surroundings, observing the vicinity. It was nothing but snow.

They waited for a long pause.

A sudden crack caught his attention. Cooper whipped to his left, guns poised, back against Kurt and he glanced at the direction of the noise. There was a soft coarse noise like a door creaking and Cooper raised a brow – that sounded way too familiar.

From the tall snow covered grass emerged a small bone pup, it's black empty eye sockets fixated onto Cooper as it let out a happily bark that sounded like a door rasping. He stepped back slightly, guns still raised at the little creature who started to roll over in the snow, yipping in delight.

There was a shift from behind Cooper and he turned back just in time to see Kurt aiming an arrow at the smallish puppy.

"NO!" Cooper stepped in front of Kurt swiftly, blocking his aim.

Ice blue eyes were bitter and unfeeling as they latched onto Cooper's ones. "No." Cooper ordered sternly, his voice curt. "He's just a little puppy!" His voice wavered as the blue pools narrowed ever so thinly. The bow was lowered unhurriedly, lingering as Kurt's defences were still up.

Cooper turned back to watch the bone pup who looked genuinely afraid, it's bony tail down in between its legs, soft yips coming from it. He blinked _– it looked terrified_. Cooper eyed the bone pup interestedly, never had he seen a creature look so fearful of humans, in fact he thought they were only capable of feeling hunger or anger.

The skeleton puppy let out a soft bark, its ears pressed down and it dipped its head at Kurt faintly, before sitting on the snowy ground, looking quite restless. Cooper glanced at Kurt, who was apathetic as usual, an astringent frown upon his face.

"We're not going to hurt you." Cooper told the puppy sweetly, as he bent down to reach out his hand to pat it. He smiled at the excited wag of the tail as he slowly reached out his hand -

"Stop." Kurt's rasp halted Cooper's movement. "It's not wise to pat a bone pup's head with your injured hand." He grabbed Cooper's bag by the back and lifted him up effortlessly.

The bone pup let out a whine and started to chase its bony tail.

Cooper eyed Kurt, who dipped his head in apology to the little skeleton creature. He bent down and raised his hand out for the little creature to sniff. The bone puppy had stopped running in circles and waddled forward to whiff Kurt's hand. It looked up at Kurt and to Cooper's astonishment, nodded ever so slightly.

"Forgive me," Kurt whispered, loud enough for Cooper's ears to hear. "I thought you were something else."

The skeleton puppy barked once and wagged its tail lively.

"We need a place to stay for the rest of the night." Kurt commanded bluntly, eyeing the bone pup, completely avoiding Cooper's gaze. "I need to re-plan our hunt." He sounded unnerved and Cooper shivered by the lack of buoyancy in the younger boy's voice.

"We have tents." Cooper turned to open his backpack, "We could camp here –"

"Are you honestly daft? That thing could come back here and _kill _us." Kurt growled, glaring at Cooper now as he turned to the chestnut haired boy.

Cooper felt a quiet sense of anger rising in his chest. "That _thing_ is my brother." He hissed back. "And if you have a better plan where we can camp, by all means, lead the way."

Ice bitter blue eyes glowed with a distant resentment for a millisecond but vanishing into something more of a lackadaisical attitude as Kurt rolled his eyes. The younger boy pointed at the bone pup that was nibbling on its tail. "We're going to its home."

Cooper blinked and there was a happy bark from the ground as the skeleton puppy bounced on its bony paws, looking excited. Cooper never once thought the creatures were capable of emotion – rather yet understand humans. He turned to Kurt, who was gazing into the distance, an unreadable expression on the boy's pale face_. Inhuman_. Cooper shuddered.

There was a quiet pause before Kurt shifted his faraway glance back to the puppy. "Lead the way please." He told the skeleton puppy and to Cooper's amazement, it seemed to understand and started to waddle forward, looking back from time to time to make sure that they were following.

They trudged forward. Cooper noticed the younger boy's defences were still up, him holding his bow and watching the forest night with cautious eyes. The forest seemed to have calmed down, if that made any sense – it was quieter and there were no more other creatures to be seen around. It was starting to look like an ordinary forest.

He followed the tiny skeleton puppy forward, finding himself nearing more snow and lesser rocks. The terrain seemed easier to walk through and he wondered if they were doing the wise thing to be trailing after this creature. The bone pup turned around and barked a few times.

Cooper glanced at Kurt, who was eyeing the creature with an indecipherable expression.

They stopped walking and Cooper raised a brow questioningly at Kurt, but he was ignored by the other party.

Annoyed, Cooper glared at the younger boy. "Why are we stopping?"

Kurt turned to him lazily, scoffing slightly. "We are here." He raised his arm out and pointed to the west, where a small cave stood, covered in thick snow; hidden by the foliage of the forest. If one didn't look hard enough, he would miss the sight of a small cave entrance.

The small skeleton creature bounded forward, only pausing to bark back at them once before continuing to head straight ahead.

Kurt trailed after the creature, lowering his bow and not even looking back to check if Cooper was following him. Cooper let out a huff and warily entered the cave, only to be greeted by bones – _the cave was surrounded in bones._

The brown haired man stopped in his tracks, the stench of rotting bones hitting his nostrils and he froze when he saw the movement within those bones on the cave floor. He looked up nervously at where Kurt was standing, in the pile of bones (_human bones_, Cooper deduced, fear rising in his throat) glancing amusedly at Cooper.

"We are safe here." He told Cooper, and to the bone pup that was gleefully prancing around the younger boy, "Thank you."

"_Safe?" _Cooper murmured in bewilderment,_ we are surrounded by rotting human bones!_ Cooper moved forward carefully, noticing more bone pups emerge out of the bones on the cave floor. He hastily walked over to Kurt, feeling his face burn in embarrassment when Kurt let out a sardonic chuckle.

"Set out the tent if you don't want to sleep on bones." Kurt told him and without warning, plopped onto the bones with a loud clang, the noise echoing around the cave. There were barks of curiosity and Cooper felt his heart skip a beat when bone pups started to surround Kurt, all yipping quite animatedly.

Hastily, the brown haired man turned to his backpack, pulling out an old greying tent that Burt had passed to him earlier in the evening. It smelt liked mouldy cheese, but it was a comforting scent – something human other than blood and bones. Glancing at the cave floor, he charily pushed the human bones aside, making a space for his self to set up the tent.

He looked to his left to see Kurt resting on a pile of greying bones, surrounded by small bony creatures all sniffing him and inquisitively nudging the younger boy. Kurt looked distant, his normally detached face now filled with unease as he picked on a bone with his hands, staring up at the cave walls.

The brown haired man laid a groundsheet on the cave floor, still observing the other party whilst slowly assembling the tent. He saw Blaine – he saw Blaine? Cooper heaved the poles of the tent, his heart in disarray at the image of his younger brother guzzle the bandit's head. He shuddered slightly, sighing as he continued fixing up the tent.

"Your hand is hurt." Came a bored declaration from Kurt.

Cooper turned to the younger boy, his blue eyes watching Cooper indifferently. Nodding, the brown haired man looked down on his bloodied hand then back to Kurt, who was raising his eyebrow.

"I didn't get bitten. I told you already." Cooper snorted, rolling his eyes, but feeling less tense at the boy's remark for he was starting to feel a little uneasy with the silence between them.

Kurt blinked a few times before shooing the bone pups around him away and stood up. Cooper watched warily as the younger boy walked toward him, his pale arm darting out to grasp Cooper's right hand.

The brown haired man gasped at the cold fingers of Kurt as they trailed along his dried up bloodied mess injury – he grimaced at the sight, he's been through worse but it was definitely a first of a werewolf scratch.

"It's not too deep. A minor scratch is all." Kurt was mumbling to himself, lifting Cooper's hand up and staring at it as if it was a specimen to behold.

Before Cooper could pull his hand back or make snarky reply about how it was obviously a minor wound, he froze at the sight of a faint light bluish hue that was surrounding his right hand. Like a bright light pulsing through his fingertips, slowly seeming to close the open wound of his hand. Cooper gasped in incredulity, _was this magic_?

He glanced up hurriedly at Kurt, who was eyeing Cooper, a complete look of detachment on his pale elfish face.

"It's always better not to have an open wound." Kurt explained boredly, pulling his hands away from Cooper's, rolling his eyes and at once the bluish glow disappeared.

Cooper hastily scrutinized his own hand. It was healed – it looked as if nothing had actually scratched him. He glanced at Kurt, who was moving back to his spot. _The boy isn't human_! He knows magic – _was he a witch_?

"You're not human." Cooper announced loudly before continuing his setup for his tent. "I knew it. You had that fire arrow thingy; your eyes are too _goddamn blue_ to be natural and this! Healing magic!"

"I knew it." He repeated proudly, pegging the poles of the tent before turning to Kurt, a smug grin on his face.

Kurt didn't seem fazed. In fact, he seemed as uninterested as always. There was a long pregnant pause before he spoke, his voice solemn and low.

"I told you before - if you have hunted as many beasts as I have – whether I was forced to kill or not – you start becoming inhuman yourself."

The familiar sentence rung in Cooper's head and he stood, watching Kurt as the younger boy rested on his back against the bones on the cave floor. _An epiphany hit him_.

Voice shaking, he spoke out.

"What if that happened to Blaine?"

There was a full minute of silence, the only sounds heard was the shuffling of bones and the barks of the skeleton puppies, moving around.

Kurt cleared his throat.

'Your brother," He began, and Cooper was stunned to hear the uneasiness in the usually confident sardonic boy, "is something I've never encountered before."

Before Cooper could retort something, Kurt cut in, "I have researched on Wendigoes. I have seen Wendigoes. Wendigoes don't take the form of a human – they can imitate voices but no. Never have they been able to take the form of a human." He was muttering hastily, his blue eyes wide and bright.

"Blaine is still alive," Cooper summarized happily, grinning.

"Even if he did turn into a Wendigo, he can't take the form of his old self." Kurt shook his head, sighing and rubbing his eyes.

"Blaine is still alive!" Cooper repeated himself, nodding at Kurt.

Blue eyes glowered at his brown hazel ones.

"_Your brother_ just ate a bandit's head." Kurt hissed, his eyes narrowed dangerously, "_Your brother_ can run inhumanly fast." He emphasised on the words 'your brother' scowling darkly at Cooper. "Your little brother might be alive but he is a _monster_."

Cooper frowned and broke eye contact with Kurt before entering his tent. Kurt was mean, but he was right. Blaine wasn't Blaine anymore. The boy he saw in the woods looked like his little brother but that was all.

He sat in his tent for the longest time, unable to sleep.

"Kurt?" He tried.

There was no reply and Cooper almost decided to try to sleep – though it was probably highly impossible to do so with the idea of him sleeping in _a cave of human bones_ – when he heard Kurt's voice.

"I'm not a witch." The young boy declared from outside the tent, sounding slightly annoyed. "Witch magic is different from what I did."

There was a long pause.

"What magic did you do?" Cooper questioned bluntly, imaging Kurt's face curve into an angry grimace.

"Elf." Kurt replied swiftly, staggering Cooper suddenly at his honest reply. He didn't think Kurt would even reply. In fact he thought he would receive a sarcastic remark about how he should mind his own business.

"You are an elf?" Cooper probed gently, thinking about Kurt's elfish features, the bright blue eyes, the unblemished pale skin and the ability to connect with the creature of the forest: it was all elf like. Kurt was an elf, no doubt about it.

He heard a snort from outside.

"God no," was the reply and Cooper furrowed his brows. There was a sudden halt there of their conversation and Cooper couldn't help his curiosity that was building up. Quickly he peeked outside his tent door, seeing Kurt still in the same position as he was before.

"But you did elf magic!" He stated stubbornly. "And your eyes and your elfish features – then what are you?"

Kurt turned his head to face Cooper, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I don't have to be an elf to do elves' magic." He grunted, rolling his eyes, sounding more relaxed then Cooper had ever seen him before. Those eyes fixated their gaze at him coolly.

"My mother taught me magic." He told Cooper, a sudden look of despair washing through those ice blue eyes.

"I look like an elf because my mother was an elf."


	8. Pleasantries

**A/N: Here's chapter 8! I will start to post lesser when I have to edit my film project but it will be probably done by early March so hang in there if I seem to be on a hiatus! **

Cooper blinked. _Kurt's mother was an elf._

"Doesn't that make you an elf?" He questioned quickly, watching Kurt's expression change to something of disinterest.

"No." was the annoyed reply. "Burt is human."

"Half an elf?" Cooper prodded further, interested.

"Are you stupid? There's no such thing as half an elf." Kurt sounded aggravated, turning away from Cooper, "I just look like her. Hence, yes I have elfish features, give Sherlock a medal. _Well done_." He retorted snarkily.

Cooper frowned at the sudden change of attitude. Maybe Kurt wasn't comfortable talking about his mother – time to change up the subject. It felt nice talking to Kurt without the usual snark and angry remarks.

"So about the hunt –"Before he could continue, he was cut off but Kurt's angry grumble.

"We find the Wendigo cave, if your brother is in there, we save him. If not we go home." He sounded defeated. "We set foot at dawn; we are nearing the middle of the forest anyway."

Cooper felt his heart sink. "Aren't we going to keep looking if he's not in the cave?"

He heard Kurt click his tongue, sounding irritate, "Really, Anderson? You want to spend the rest of the winter searching for your brother who is obviously not human anymore?" His voice rose higher, "He doesn't want us to search for him, if you haven't realized it yet."

"I'm paying you to find my brother!" Cooper growled.

"And we found him." Kurt snapped back, his blue eyes dark with something unreadable. "But all he wants is to kill us. We are snacks for him, if you hadn't heard."

There was a long heated pause before Cooper ducked back down into his tent. He frowned deeply, Kurt's words ringing in his head. _Blaine isn't Blaine for sure, but he is alive and as long as he's alive, he can be cured. _He quickly cupped his mouth when he realized he had been talking aloud to himself.

There was a loud snort from outside.

"There is no cure." Came Kurt's sharp voice.

Cooper wanted to strangle the other party.

"You just did elf magic and magically healed my arm, _Hummel_." Cooper snarled from inside the tent, "There's always a cure to creature magic – Santana told me before."

Yet again came an amused snort.

"You do know Santana is fantastic at lying right? She's a little witch thief and a con-artist." Kurt spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "You would know _Sir-police-officer_."

Cooper hastily peeked out of the tent, eyeing Kurt's sardonic smirk.

"Well she didn't lie about you and your dad." He grumbled angrily, glaring at the younger boy. Kurt's smirk vanished at once and he turned to Cooper slightly, ice blue eyes curious.

"Are you certain?" His lips curved into a sneer once more.

Cooper mentally punched the grinning boy's face and he took a deep breath in to calm himself. Sure he had his doubt but after seeing Kurt in action – well, somewhat, he could deduce the boy wasn't as fragile and incapable of hunting as he initially thought.

"I am," Cooper stated bluntly, holding Kurt's stare, "I mean you seem to know the forest well and the way you dealt with the creature with your bow skills – I trust you." He thought for a moment, "Somewhat."

Kurt just looked over jadedly, "Flattery doesn't get you anywhere."

Cooper rolled his eyes and threw away all his thoughts about praising Kurt sincerely – the boy didn't seem to be affected by much, plus he seemed like an emotionless drone half the time, it was pointless to try to make small talk with him. He looked at Kurt, who had a tiny grin on his face.

Or maybe he wasn't such an impassive kid afterall.

There was a long pause.

"Elf magic doesn't turn werewolves back into human." Kurt stated suddenly, turning away. "My mother was a healer, but she couldn't save everyone."

Cooper blinked and noticed the slight trace of sadness in Kurt's voice.

"She taught me all she could before she vanished into the woods." Kurt's voice was shaky, "Just like your brother."

There was a squeak and Cooper spotted a small bone pup pawing Kurt's back with it's bony paw gently. Slowly, Kurt turned towards the skeleton puppy and held it in his arms tenderly – Cooper blinked in shock at the sight that befell him.

"My mother told me that all of the creatures in the forest deserve to be cared for," Kurt murmured, scratching the bone pup's ear, the skeleton puppy making happy barks as Kurt continued, "To treat them like fragile beautiful things that they are."

"None are evil," Kurt whispered now and Cooper watched him closely, the boy's face furrowing into a tight frown. "She used to try to make me believe that."

Kurt stopped scratching the bony pup's ear and the small creature let out a whimper and bumped his hands for more. The younger boy looked down at the bone pup before glancing back up at Cooper, his ice cold eyes staggering the older man slightly.

"But she's a fool." He snarled at Cooper, who gulped at the fierceness of the younger boy. "There is evil in the forest. Evil that deserves to be dead."

There was a loud squeak and Kurt rolled his eyes before returning to scuff the small bone pup. Cooper was rendered speechless for a long moment.

"Blaine used to believe in that too." He added after a pause. "He said everything that breathes can't be all bad."

Cooper fixed his glance at Kurt, whose eyebrows were raised sceptically at the older man. "Blaine has been the rebellious boy of the family," He explained quickly, _an eye for an eye Kurt – you told me about your mother, now I tell you about my brother. _"He wanted to be a hunter – not to hunt the creatures but to try to be part of the forest."

Kurt scoffed quietly. The bone pup made a sound, trying to copy Kurt before scurrying away, barking happily. Cooper watched Kurt observe the creature fondly before turning back to Cooper. "Always wanted one of those." He muttered to himself and Cooper couldn't help but grin.

"Blaine's the nicest guy I've known," Cooper continued, "He's usually so friendly and sweet, he used to get friends coming in to the house all the time when he was back in school." He sighed quietly, "My father wanted him to be part of the police but Blaine relented – he wanted to be part of the forest even if it meant becoming a hunter."

"He could've been an environmentalist." Kurt commented dully, rolling his eyes.

"Well he wanted to specifically be part of _this_ forest." Cooper snorted, "He studied up on every single living creature here and sneaked out to the forest whenever he could." The brown haired man let out a sigh, "He would retell his stories of his bravery in the woods and how he managed to talk to the creatures – my father wouldn't buy a thing Blaine said."

Cooper looked at the greying bones on the ground. "_Bullshit_, my father said. Utter rubbish and creatures of the woods should be kept away from humans."

"He is right." Kurt sneered from the left, "Both are dangerous to one other, one being death traps and another as lunch."

Cooper ignored the snarky remark. "Blaine just disregards whatever my father says," he carried on with his story, "He used to tell our mother that one day he would prove our father wrong."

"Oh touché, how wrong _he_ was." Kurt cut in sardonically chuckling, "Look where they both are now."

The boy rolled his eyes and before either of them could say anything, there was a soft clanging sound of bones being pushed and Cooper spotted a bone pup waddling over with a human bone in its mouth, fresh blood dripping from the sides of the large bone. He gasped and looked over at Kurt panicky, "It's got fresh human bones." He whispered.

Heart in his mouth, he backed away slightly in the tent as the skeleton pup approached Kurt. The young boy was watching it warily, a hand on his bow, ready to attack if the bone puppy started to show any aggression towards them.

It stopped right in front of Kurt, its tail high in the air.

Cooper could feel his heart racing and his palms getting sweaty as he watched the bone pup staring at Kurt, the two parties looking upon each other in silence. There was a sudden loud clang and Cooper nearly jumped – the skeleton puppy had dropped the bone onto the ground in front of Kurt.

It let out a low growl.

Cooper got ready to bolt.

Kurt lifted his bow.

And the bone pup started to chase its own tail.

There was a long pause as Kurt stared down at the creature in amusement.

"What's the bone for?" Cooper asked uneasily, settling down his racing heartbeat. Kurt didn't reply him and reached out for the bone pup, which had fallen onto the ground clumsily.

Cooper blinked slightly when realization hit him hard – it was a gift.

"Oh god, it gave you a present?" He scoffed loudly at Kurt, who was rolling his ice blue eyes.

"No." Kurt sneered back, proceeding to hug the bone pup, who was whimpering quietly and burrowed itself into the younger boy's arms.

Cooper chuckled, grinning at Kurt who was trying to look annoyed at the bone pup.

"For a minute I thought it was going to attack us." He smiled pointing at the fresh bone on the floor, his smile vanished when he realized something, where did the bone pup get the human bone from? He glanced back up anxiously at Kurt.

"Probably one of those bandits." Kurt answered Cooper's thoughts, "I killed one of them, this puppy probably found the remains."

Cooper recalled the moment where Kurt killed the bandit with soulless ice blue eyes, not even fazed by the sound of the arrow piercing into the man's chest. He turned away from Kurt quickly. The younger boy seemed to read Cooper's thoughts and he heard the blue eyed boy let out a scoff.

"If I didn't kill him, we would have a werewolf on our trail. There is no werewolf cure, I told you just now – the only way is silver through it's heart." Kurt explained promptly. "I had to do it."

"Why did you go after the other bandit then?" Cooper questioned, feeling strangely hollow inside.

There was silence.

"Kurt –"

"I heard you," grumbled the younger boy. "I don't like humans. Bandits – whoever that treads on this forest looking for loot that the creatures hold."

Cooper frowned. "Still that never gives you the right to kill them." He rebutted Kurt, shaking his head, "We could've just bring him back to jail –"

"And what?" Kurt growled back darkly, "Let him think about what he has done in a place where there's necessities for him to live a long happy life without regret?"

Cooper remained silent.

"Jail isn't a vacation you know." He muttered after a while.

"Neither is dying." Kurt retorted turning away. "I'll see you the morning, Anderson." With that he walled himself shut from Cooper's burning questions.

Sighing, Cooper went back into the tent, lying on the softer ground, willing himself to sleep. He had to find a way to get Blaine back – there is a cure – there's always a cure.

He tossed and turned a few times, the mental imagery of Kurt's cold emotionless eyes and him attacking the bandits as if they were nothing but easy prey. Cooper opened his brown eyes, peering at the top of his tent. Kurt said he wasn't an elf but he never did once mention that he was a human. _Maybe he was just thinking too much. _

He closed his eyes, when a stinging realization hit him once again.

If the bone pup had offered a present to Kurt, why didn't Cooper get one – not that he liked bones but why only Kurt? Unless it wasn't a gift – after all why would it be giving presents to people who are living in their home?

It wasn't a gift or a token of appreciation.

Cooper felt his blood run cold.

_It was an offering._

He felt his heart skip a beat.

_What on earth was Kurt Hummel?_


	9. Chaos

Kurt didn't sleep. He couldn't. Not with a monster on his trail. He glanced at the bone pup in his arms, sound asleep, it's bony ears twitching slightly when Kurt shifted uncomfortably on the cave ground.

Cooper's brother was a mystery – he wasn't a Wendigo, yet he smelt like one, acted like one and ate like one. He looked too normal to be one of those creatures, he was human, Kurt shook his head in confusion: he knew every single creature that lived in the woods, yet he could not put a finger onto what Blaine Anderson was.

He glanced to the left where the tent was, soft snores coming from inside and a few bone pups shifted around the blue coloured tent, curiousing nipping at it, probably wondering about the snores that came from it.

If Blaine was truly a Wendigo, he could've eaten them all up – but yet he digressed, and decided to try to frighten them. Kurt frowned; in fact he seemed like he wanted to scare them away. The blue eyed boy scoffed to himself, Kurt was far from being terrified; confused, yes but in truth, he was vexed.

In fact, he was utterly displeased that he could not comprehend Blaine's actions – how the creature didn't step near the cave at all; of course it was bone pup territory and Wendigos avoided the usual bony puppies; and their huge mother dog, for many reasons – one of which was that bone pups weren't edible.

Kurt turned back and eyed the fresh bone that lay in front of him. _Definitely not edible or actually pleasing to gnaw on. _

He was bewildered as to why the creature just vanished instead of chasing them right into the cave and just gobbling them up. It could've (_no doubt Kurt would still put up a fight_) but it didn't. Kurt sighed – maybe taking up this job offer was a stupid idea after all. It wasn't like him to hope the creature would just leave them alone and they could go back.

He gritted his teeth – but if it did appear, he would not hesitate _to kill it_.

There was a soft squeak and Kurt turned to see the small bone pup awake, bumping it's hard forehead onto Kurt's chest. He resisted a smirk – fondly patting the critter before sitting up. He glanced at the sunlight streaming through the cracks of the cave; it was time to set out.

He glanced swiftly at the tent, Cooper's snores echoing the cave. Kurt smirked darkly and cupped his hands around his mouth; he let out a loud long howl much like a wolf and instantly, all the bone pups started to howl one by one.

The howls punctuated around the cave, and Kurt heard a loud gasp from inside the tent, the blue improvised house shifting and wobbling as Cooper crawled out, his face in a state of shock, looking around anxiously before catching Kurt's mischievous glint. The older man frowned deeply and started grumbling to himself about strangling people.

The younger boy's expression quickly returned to a dull and detached frown. He had his fun, now it was time to finish what they started. He motioned to Cooper to pack up the tent.

"Let's go, Anderson." He announced, picking his bow up from the ground. "It's best to leave the forest before night falls. The Wendigo cave should be nearby; we go in, Blaine's not there, we leave."

Kurt noticed Cooper freeze in his movements before turning to Kurt, a hurt look on his face. "We're not even going to try?" There was disappointment in those hazel brown eyes.

The chestnut haired boy turned away, ignoring the loud sigh from Cooper – did he not get it? If Blaine didn't want to be found, they couldn't do anything. It was impossible to outwit a Wendigo – even if Blaine wasn't one: god this was confusing Kurt so much he wanted to just call it quits.

"C'mon Kurt. We could at least stay one more day or something," Cooper sounded dejected, Kurt didn't turn back to look at the man.

"Kurt." Cooper called out once more.

Kurt whipped his head to glare at the older man, his ice blue eyes filled with annoyance. "Can you just get your tent and we can leave?" He bared his teeth and threaded out of the cave, shaking his head.

Exiting the bone pup cave, Kurt stepped out into the open, the morning rays bright and warm even in the winter. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in – and heard a happy bark to his right. He glanced to the direction of the noise and spotted a bone pup wagging its tail, looking up at Kurt with it's black empty eye sockets.

If it had eyes it would be giving Kurt the puppy dog ones and he snorted at the irony of it.

It had started to run around Kurt's feet in tiny circles, yipping at him. Kurt was not a very big fan of dogs, but he found a strange tenderness of the bone pup at his feet. He smiled lightly. One of the very first creatures that he had met in the forest was the bone pups. He had been a lonely little child ever since his mother vanished and found the company of the overexcited bony dogs very comforting.

He recalled it was a winter day where Burt was in the forest searching for his wife, and Kurt wandered off when he heard the sounds of barking that sounded more like doors creaking. He spotted a pack of bony puppies rolling around in the snow and he had delightedly found them very affable.

When Burt called for Kurt to take leave for shelter from the oncoming winter storm, Kurt had hastily grabbed four bone puppies and stuffed them in his oversized backpack. When they had arrived home and Kurt placed his bag down; immediately four puppies crawled out, blissfully scampering in the kitchen yipping loudly, had Burt Hummel let out a shriek of horror.

Initially Kurt was terror stricken as well, hearing his dad yelling in panic, trying to chase the bone puppies out from the house. Kurt resisted, telling his dad that they were a friendly bunch and that they could do well as pets; when his dad let out a thunderous roar and pointed at the kitchen window where a giant skull was staring into the house.

Kurt remembered his younger self frozen on the spot as the colossal skull opened its mouth to reveal jagged canines, a loud roar emitting from it. Burt was still trying to get the four meddlesome bone pups outside but they were too much for the older man, darting speedily around the kitchen floor tiles and cupboards.

The giant skull was staring into the kitchen, bumping its head against the house, roaring at them. Young Kurt Hummel snapped back to reality when he realized that it was none other than the mother dog. Hesitantly, he put on his winter boots and opened the door, exiting the house, hearing Burt scream loudly for Kurt to come back inside.

Kurt shook his head at the memory, glancing down at the bone pup at his feet.

He could mentally visualize the image of a young boy staring at the massive bone dog, both standing in the front yard of an old house in winter. He evoked that he had walked up to the monster dog and it roared at him nonetheless, but did not attack him; even when he placed a warm gloved hand on it's nose and told it that he was sorry for taking it's puppies away. Somehow he knew that it was just worried, like how a mother would be.

Burt had exited the house in a hurry, four bone puppies in his arms, all barking at their mother and was astounded at the sight that befell him.

A loud murmur broke Kurt's thoughts.

Cooper was trudging out of the cave, looking sorely beaten, dark circles around his hazel eyes and an aggravated look on his face. "Is that thing following us?" He groaned.

Kurt rolled his blue eyes. "Does it matter? He makes better company than you anyway." He gazed back down gently at the bone pup who barked once in reply.

He heard Cooper grumbled something under his breath before the older man stood next to Kurt, eyeing the puppy warily. "Which way?" he questioned Kurt.

The chestnut haired boy paused for a moment, glancing at his surroundings, observing the way the trees bare under the sunlight, empty of life in the winter. He thought for a minute before pointing toward the south.

"The denser areas have the higher probability of the Wendigo cave." Kurt began to walk forward, hearing footfalls behind him and happily barking noises.

He preferred the forest in the morning. It was more peaceful – less dangerous and threatening. At night where the naked tree branches look more like claws; it looked like harmless ribbons decorating the air in the daylight.

"Be warned of bandits." Cooper muttered from behind, "They like to hide in the denser vicinity - keeps them out of sight from others."

There was a loud bark of agreement.

Kurt nodded to himself and hopped over a dead rat.

He heard Cooper wheeze and turned around to see the bone pup nibbling on the dead rat's remains, Cooper watching it, a grimace on the man's face. "Be glad it's not you." Kurt teased lightly before continuing to trek forward.

There was a long silence throughout the journey, punctured by loud contented barks from the bone pup until they reached a frozen stream.

Kurt scowled when he peered into the frozen ice lake, human bodies trapped underneath the clear solid ice. Cooper let out a soft yelp when he bent over to see what Kurt was doing and backed away slowly.

"Mermaids." Kurt explained quickly, stepping on the ice carefully with one foot and beckoning Cooper with his hand. "Trapping poor souls and devouring them underwater. Shame on these perverts."

Cooper seemed uncertain and glanced up at Kurt, who was rolling his eyes at the other man.

"Mermaids hibernate in the winter." The boy sounded exasperated.

There was a thud that caught the attention of both of them. Swivelling to the direction of the noise, Kurt spotted the bone pup trying to cross the frozen lake, slipping carelessly on the ice and whimpering in panic.

He reached over to carry it in his arms before glancing coldly at Cooper, who was tentatively stepping on the ice.

"Hurry up." Kurt grunted, walking across the stream and reaching the other side of the winter forest. As he let the bone pup on the ground, it had begun to snow slightly. Kurt stared up into the white blanketed sky – cloudless and cold.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Hastily, he turned to his left, a hand on his bow only to find himself glancing at the hazel eyed man.

"I really hate winter." Cooper complained, steadying himself on Kurt's shoulder.

"Wendigos love winter." Kurt retorted, shrugging Cooper's hand away and trailed forward, whistling for the bone pup as it waddled close to them, quietly bouncing upon the snowy ground.

"Blaine hated winter." Cooper sighed from his left, the older man shaking his head, snowflakes falling from it and the bone pup rushing over to nip on the white flakes.

Kurt kept silent.

"I really need to find him, Kurt." The older man sounded tired and Kurt couldn't help feeling a tad sorry for the guy. "I know it's really not your problem," Cooper scratched his head miserably and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "But he's my only brother."

There was a pause.

"My family isn't a happy one. He makes them happy – well mostly us and not our father, but still." Cooper gazed wearily at Kurt.

"I miss him and he makes the family whole."

Kurt scoffed under his breath, "Sentimental aren't we?" hHHe grumbled, rolling his eyes.

There was a long pause once more. (And a few happy barks)

"Wendigos come out at the night." Kurt heaved out, avoiding another dead rat. "In the day, it stays in its cave." He sidestepped another dead rabbit.

"If Blaine is a Wendigo, he will be in that cave." He could literally see Cooper's face light up in cheerfulness, "We find him, we take him home and I'm through with your business." Kurt rolled his eyes once more. He stopped for a moment, bending down to scratch the bone pup's ear, emitting a blissful bark from the creature.

"So we do have a chance in finding Blaine after all?" Cooper asked hopefully, a happy glimmer in his eyes.

"Don't keep your hopes up." Kurt stood back up, glaring at Cooper, shaking his head at the older man's excitement.

They continued their trek forward.

"Thank you Kurt." Cooper murmured after a moment, "I really do appreciate all this."

Kurt snorted lightly.

"You are a good person you know that." He added after a while.

"Even after killing those bandits?" Kurt smirked darkly, turning to Cooper, who shook his head.

"You ruined the good moment!"

"They deserved it!"

He knew Cooper was enjoying their friendly little banter, judging by the grin on the man's face. Before any of them could continue their fun, a loud sickening _crunch_ and an ear-splitting agonizing wail echoed in the forest.

The both of them froze.

Kurt whipped out his bow but was stopped by the screech of dread from Cooper, whose jaw had dropped wide open, the hazel pools suddenly filled with distress and Kurt's eyes followed the direction of where Cooper was pointing out.

Kurt's blood ran cold at the sight in front of his eyes.

In the middle of the pathway slightly to their right, was the bone pup, crushed into pieces by the impact of an animal trap. _That would explain the multitude of dead rabbits and rats. _

_Hunters._

Kurt's blood boiled as he rushed forward to the dead bone pup. Its paws and ears were pounded into small tiny pieces, its skull left on the snowy ground, the empty sockets now filled with soulless black holes. He reached out to touch the cold bones of the happy creature that was following them, his heart torn into shreds, an innocent life gone.

Anger rose in his throat like bile.

"Kurt." Cooper sounded scared and confused, "Will it be okay?"

Kurt turned to Cooper slowly, his ice blue eyes glinting with rage. He couldn't control the building anger in the pit of his stomach and whipped out his bow and arrow, aiming for Cooper's heart. Startled, the older man raised his hands up in surrender, backing away slowly.

"Kurt." He murmured, "Kurt what are you doing?"

Kurt narrowed his cold eyes. He let the arrow fly.


End file.
